Eosinophilia with Aberrant T Cells and Elevated Serum Levels of Interleukin-2 and Interleukin-15

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Abstract
The hypereosinophilic syndrome comprises various idiopathic myeloproliferative disorders with sustained eosinophilia and damage to the heart, lungs, skin, and other organs by infiltrating eosinophils.1 A single mechanism for this syndrome has not been identified, and multiple factors are likely to be involved. The serum level of interleukin-5, an eosinophilopoietic cytokine, is increased in some patients with the hypereosinophilic syndrome,2 and a few have been found to have unusual T-cell abnormalities, including CD3–CD4+CD8– T cells3,4 and so-called double-negative CD3+CD4–CD8– T cells.5 CD3, a complex of five proteins associated with the T-cell receptor, is a distinctive feature of all normal T cells. CD4 and CD8 identify helper and cytotoxic T cells, respectively. Recently, Simon et al. described 16 patients with eosinophilia and unusual T cells, some of which secreted abnormal amounts of interleukin-5 when cultured in vitro.6 The serum levels of interleukin-5 were not reported.