FIGURE 8.

Biological function of nitrated eosinophil granule proteins versus non-nitrated eosinophil granule proteins. A and B, cytotoxic activities of nitrated (3NT+) versus non-nitrated (3NT-) eosinophil granule proteins and nitrated rEPO or rECP versus their non-nitrated counterparts were assayed in incubations on monolayers of A549 cells. After a 24-h incubation, the alive or dead status of the epithelial cells was determined using immunofluorescence. C-F, the bactericidal activities of non-nitrated rEPO or rECP and their nitrated counterparts were tested in 24-h incubations with S. aureus or E. coli. Thereafter bacterial numbers were detemined by a plate assay. G-I, the size of eosinophil granules, filled with nitrated or non-nitrated toxins, was determined using transmission electron microscopy preparations of the respective eosinophils.