Department of Dermatology

Gerald J. Gleich, M.D.

Gerald J. Gleich, M.D.

Research Professor of Dermatology and Medicine

  • B.A., magna cum laude, 1953, University of Michigan
  • M.D., cum laude, 1956, University of Michigan
  • General Internship, 1956-1957, Philadelphia General Hospital
  • Residency in Internal Medicine, 1959-61, University of Miami
  • Fellowship in Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 1961-1963, Univ. of Rochester Medical Center
  • Professor of Immunology and Medicine, Distinguished Investigator of the Mayo Foundation, Chairman - Department of Immunology, Consultant in Medicine, 1965-2001, Mayo Clinic
  • Board Certifications in Internal Medicine and Allergy and Immunology

Clinical and Research Interests

  • Dr. Gleich has had a life-long professional commitment to understanding the eosinophil with a focus on its distinctive granules.  He and his colleagues have isolated, characterized, identified the cDNAs and the genes and established assays for measurement and localization of all of the principal granule proteins.  These efforts lead to the recognition that eosinophil degranulation with release of cytotoxic and cytostimulatory cationic ptoteins into tissues is characteristic of eosinophil-associated diseases and to recognition of several novel syndromes.  As a consequence of these efforts, Dr. Gleich is an internationally recognized authority on diseases associated with eosinophils and regularly consults on their diagnosis and treatment.
  • In addition, atopic diseases and their pathophysiology, especially bronchial asthma and atopic dermatitis, are subjects of both clinical and research interest.

Selected Publications

  • Verbout NG, Jacoby DB, Gleich GJ, Fryer AD. Atropine-enhanced, antigen challenge-induced airway hyperreactivity in guinea pigs is mediated by eosinophils and nerve growth factor. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2009; (Epub ahead of print).
  • Gleich GJ, Leiferman KM. The hypereosinophilic syndromes: current concepts and treatments. Br J Haematol. 2009; 145(3), 271-85.
  • Gu Q, Lim ME, Gleich GJ, Lee LY. Mechanisms of eosinophil major basic protein-induced hyperexcitability of vagal pulmonary chemosensitive neurons. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2009; 296(3), L453-61.
  • Puxeddu I, Berkman N, Nissim Ben Efraim AH, Davies DE, Ribatti D, Gleich GJ, Levi-Schaffer FL. the role of eosinophil major basic protein in angiogenesis. Allergy. 2009; 64(3), 368-74.
  • Gu Q, Wiggers ME, Gleich GJ, Lee LY. Sensitization of isolated rat vagal pulmonary sensory neurons by eosinophil-derived cationic proteins. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2008; 294(3), L544-52.
  • Adamko DJ, Wu Y, Ajamian F, Ilarraza R, Moqbel R, Gleich GJ. The effect of cationic charge on release of eosinophil mediators. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2008; 122(2), 383-90, 390.e1-4.
  • Yousefi S, Gold JA, Andina N, Lee JJ, Kelly AM, Kozlowski E, Schmid I, Straumann A, Reichenbach J, gleich GJ, Simon HU. Catapult-like release of mitochondrial DNA by eosinophils contributes to antibacterial defense. Nat Med, 2008; 14(9), 949-53.
  • Rothenberg ME., Klion AD, Roufosse FE,  Kahn JE, Weller PF, Simon HU, Schwartz LB, Rosenwasser LJ, Ring J, M.D., Ph.D., Griffin  EF, Haig AE, Frewer PIH, Parkin JM, Gleich GJ. Mepolizumab HES Study Group. Treatment of patients with the hypereosinophilic syndrome with mepolizumab. New Eng J Med 2008 Mar 20;358:1215-28  
  • Gleich GJ, Leiferman KM, Pardanani A, Tefferi A, Butterfield JH. Treatment of hypereosinophilic syndrome with imatinib mesylate. Lancet 2002;359:1577–78
  • Plager DA, Loegering DA, Weiler DA, Checkel JL, Wagner JM, Clarke NJ, Naylor S, Page SM, Thomas LL, Akerblom I, Cocks B, Stuart S, Gleich GJ. A novel and highly divergent homolog of human eosinophil granule major basic protein. J Biol Chem 1999;274:14464-14473
  • Popken-Harris P, Checkel J, Loegering D, Madden B, Springett M, Kephart G, Gleich GJ. Regulation and processing of a precursor form of eosinophil granule major basic protein (proMBP) in differentiating eosinophils. Blood 1998;92:623-631  
  • Cheng JF, Ott NL, Peterson EA, George TJ, Hukee MJ, Gleich GJ, Leiferman KM. Dermal eosinophils in atopic dermatitis undergo cytolytic degeneration. J Allergy Clin Immunol 1997;99:683-692
  • Butterfield JH, Gleich GJ. Interferon- treatment of six patients with the idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome. Ann Intern Med 1994;121:648-653
  • Sorrentino S, Glitz DG, Hamann KJ, Loegering DA, Checkel JL, Gleich GJ. Eosinophil-derived neurotoxin and human liver ribonuclease: identity of structure and linkage of neurotoxicity to nuclease activity. J Biol Chem 1992;267:14859-14865
  • Gundel RH, Letts LG, Gleich GJ. Human eosinophil major basic protein induces airway constriction and airway hyperresponsiveness in primates. J Clin Invest 1991;87:1470-1473
  • Hertzman PA, Blevins WL, Mayer J, Greenfield B, Ting M, Gleich GJ. Association of the eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome with the ingestion of tryptophan. N Engl J Med 1990;322:869-873

  • Mayeno AN, Lin F, Foote CS, Loegering DA, Ames MM, Hedberg CW, Gleich GJ. Characterization of “Peak E”, a novel amino acid associated with eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome. Science 1990;250:1707-1708

  • Gleich GJ, Loegering DA, Bell MP, Checkel JL, Ackerman SJ, McKean DJ. Biochemical and functional similarities between human eosinophil-derived neurotoxin and eosinophil cationic protein: homology with ribonuclease. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1986;83:3146-3150

Dr. Gerald Gleich's Complete CV