Apoptosis is an important cellular mechanism for controlling cell viability and proliferation. With respect to eosinophils, cytokines prolong their survival, whereas corticosteroids reduce their survival in vitro. CD30, a member of the TNFR family, is expressed on the surface of many cell types, including Hodgkin's lymphoma cells. CD30 is capable of inducing apoptosis after Ab treatment in some cell lines. To determine whether this surface structure is involved in apoptosis of human eosinophils, we examined its expression and the effect of anti-CD30 Ab treatment on the viability of eosinophils. Purified human eosinophils expressed low, but consistently detectable, levels of CD30. Immobilized, but not soluble, forms of anti-CD30 Abs (HRS-4 and Ber-H8) or recombinant mouse CD30 ligand exhibited an extremely rapid and intense survival-reducing effect on the eosinophils in the presence of exogenous IL-5; this effect was both concentration and time dependent. Furthermore, high concentrations of IL-5 could not reverse the reduced survival rates. After treatment with anti-CD30 Ab, gel electrophoresis of DNA extracted from the eosinophils demonstrated changes consistent with apoptosis. The immobilized F(ab')(2) of the anti-CD30 Ab failed to induce eosinophil apoptosis. The addition of anti-CD18 Ab also completely abrogated the induction of eosinophil apoptosis. Further examination using specific signal transduction inhibitors suggested the involvement of p38, mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1/2, and specific tyrosine kinase, but not NF-kappaB, in the induction of CD30-mediated eosinophil apoptosis. These data demonstrate that CD30 can modify eosinophil survival by causing an extremely rapid and intense induction of apoptosis through a tightly regulated intracellular signaling pathway.