Mast cells: a unique and functional diversity.
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Homeostasis↗
Biomedical subjects
D D Metcalfe
Publications and source records attributed to D D Metcalfe.
Fas ligand (FasL, CD95L, APO-1L) expression in murine mast cells.
Fas ligand (FasL, CD95L, Apo-1L), a type II membrane protein belonging to the tumour necrosis factor family, induces apoptosis in Fas-bearing cells. As murine mast cells have been shown to express Fas antigen, we hypothesized that mast cells might also express FasL. To explore this possibility, we first demonstrated FasL mRNA in mast cells by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and FasL protein by immunoblot analysis. FasL protein was shown to be exclusively located within the cell by flow cytometry. In agreement with this observation, bone marrow cultured mast cells were unable to kill Jurkat T cells. Our results demonstrate that FasL is expressed in murine mast cells and suggest that this murine mast cell FasL is not lytic, owing to the intracellular localization.
Animals↗
Tyrosine kinase-deficient Wv c-kit induces mast cell adhesion and chemotaxis.
W/Wv mice are deficient in tissue mast cells, and mast cells cultured from these mice do not proliferate in response to the c-kit ligand, stem cell factor (SCF). In this paper, we report that mouse bone marrow cultured mast cells derived from W/Wv mice do adhere to fibronectin in the presence of SCF and exhibit chemotaxis to SCF, and we explore this model for the understanding of c-kit-mediated signaling pathways. Both in vitro and in vivo (in intact cells) phosphorylation experiments demonstrated a low residual level of W/Wv c-kit protein phosphorylation. SCF-induced responses in W/Wv mast cells were abolished by the tyrosine kinase inhibitor herbimycin A and by the phospatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) inhibitor wortmannin but were not affected by protein kinase C inhibitors. These observations are consistent with the conclusions that Wv c-kit initiates a signaling process that is PI 3-kinase dependent and that mutated Wv c-kit retains the ability to initiate mast cell adhesion and migration.
Alkaloids↗
Inhibition of human mast cell growth and differentiation by interferon gamma-1b.
In an effort to identify cytokines that inhibit human mast cell growth, we cultured HMC-1 cells and recombinant human stem cell factor (rhSCF)-dependent human bone marrow-derived mast cells (HBMCs) in the presence of interferon gamma (IFNgamma)-1b and interferon alpha (IFNalpha)-2b. HMC-1 cell numbers decreased in the presence of 1000 U/mL IFNgamma-1b but were unaffected by 1000 U/mL of IFNalpha-2b. HBMCs were then cultured for 0 to 7 days with 100 ng/mL rhSCF and 10 ng/mL recombinant human IL-3 (rhIL-3), followed by culture in rhSCF and administration of either 1000 U/mL IFNalpha-2b or 1000 U/mL IFNgamma-1b. HBMCs appearing in cultures with rhSCF alone or in combination with IFNalpha-2b were virtually identical in number through 8 weeks of culture. In cultures supplemented with IFNgamma-1b, HBMCs significantly decreased in number and incidence of granular metachromasia by 4 to 5 weeks (p<0.001). Similar results were obtained when human marrow was cultured from day 0 with rhSCF and IFNgamma-1b. Mature rhSCF-dependent HBMCs were also cultured at 5 weeks with rhSCF alone or in combination with IFNgamma-1b. Compared with cells cultured in rhSCF, mature 5-week HBMC cultures treated with rhSCF plus IFNgamma-1b revealed a decrease in mast cells, and those mast cells that remained had fewer toluidine blue- and tryptase-positive granules after 5 to 8 weeks. FACS analysis of rhSCF plus IFNgamma-1b-treated mature HBMCs revealed increased c-kit and Fc(epsilon)RI expression. Mast cell releasibility was not increased. IFNgamma-lb was thus able to suppress mast cell growth from CD34+ cells, suggesting that this agent should be considered as a candidate cytokine for the treatment of disorders of mast cell proliferation.
Bone Marrow Cells↗
Fas (CD95, APO-1) antigen expression and function in murine mast cells.
As an extension of the observation that mast cells undergo apoptosis following growth factor deprivation, we hypothesized that mast cells might also undergo apoptosis in response to activation through Fas Ag (CD95, APO-1), thus providing an additional pathway that could contribute to the regulation of mast cell numbers. Surface expression of Fas Ag was studied by flow cytometry, and apoptotic changes following treatment with anti-Fas mAb were analyzed using flow cytometric analysis of PI uptake and TUNEL staining, DNA electrophoresis, and electron microscopy. Murine bone marrow-cultured mast cells (BMCMC) and peritoneal mast cells, as well as two mast cell lines (C57 and MCP-5), constitutively expressed Fas Ag. Aggregation of Fas Ag with anti-Fas mAb resulted in the characteristic changes of apoptosis in C57 mast cells. BMCMC were resistant to anti-Fas mAb alone, but after the addition of actinomycin D also exhibited apoptosis in response to anti-Fas treatment. In addition, actinomycin D alone induced apoptosis. Stem cell factor, TGF-beta, and Fc epsilon RI aggregation enhanced Fas expression. However, Fas-mediated apoptosis was not augmented by Fc epsilon RI aggregation, and stem cell factor and TGF-beta partially protected BMCMC against Fas-mediated cytotoxicity. Finally, C57 mast cells were highly susceptible to killing by a Fas ligand-bearing CTL hybridoma, while BMCMC were relatively resistant, consistent with the results using anti-Fas mAb. Thus, induction of mast cell apoptosis by activation of the Fas pathway provides an additional mechanism by which mast cell numbers may be regulated in biologic systems.
Animals↗
Human mast cells produce the CD4+ T lymphocyte chemoattractant factor, IL-16.
CD4+ T cell infiltration is known to occur in tissues at sites of mast cell activation. The molecules produced and released by mast cells that account for this lymphocyte accumulation are poorly characterized. Here we report that a CD4+ T cell chemoattractant cytokine, IL-16, is stored preformed in bone marrow-cultured human mast cells and a human mast cell line, HMC-1, as demonstrated by intracytoplasmic cytokine staining and flow cytometry, and in human lung mast cells, as detected by immunohistochemistry. In response to the anaphylatoxin, C5a, or to PMA treatment, IL-16 mRNA transcripts detected by Northern blot analysis in HMC-1 cells increased 6- to 10-fold. HMC-1 cell lysates and activated supernatants contained IL-16 protein, as demonstrated by both ELISA and in vitro lymphocyte chemotaxis assays, the latter of which was blocked 59 to 88% by the addition of neutralizing Ab to recombinant human IL-16. IL-16 bioactivity was detected in the supernatants 2 to 4 h after PMA or C5a activation, and this activity remained elevated through 24 h. The capacity of human mast cells to synthesize and release biologically active IL-16 provides a possible link between mast cell activation and the accumulation of T cells in mast cell-dependent inflammation, thus amplifying the immune response and perpetuating the pathologic process.
CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes↗
Two different negative regulatory elements control the transcription of T-cell activation gene 3 in activated mast cells.
T-cell activation gene 3 (TCA3) encodes a beta-chemokine that is transcriptionally regulated in mast cells; the gene has a functional NF-kappaB element at positions -194 to -185. The 5'-flanking region of this gene is also known to have a negative regulatory region between -2057 and -1342. To characterize the negative regulatory elements (NREs), this region was sequenced and then digested by HindIII enzyme into two fragments, NRE-1 (-2057 to -1493) and NRE-2 (-1492 to -1342). Both NRE-1 and NRE-2 in the 5'-3' orientation inhibited chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT)-protein synthesis by a TCA3-CAT construct transfected into mast cells that were then activated. Only NRE-1 inhibited CAT-protein synthesis in the 3'-5' orientation. Further deletion of the 5' region of NRE-1 partially abolished the inhibitory activity. Both NRE-1 and NRE-2 inhibited the activity of a CD20-CAT construct independent of cell activation. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays showed DNA-protein complex formation with subsequences (CCCCCATTCT) of NRE-1 (NRE-1a) and (CCATGA) of NRE-2 (NRE-2b). NRE-1a appears to be novel. NRE-2b is identical with a putative silencer motif in the alphaIIb integrin gene. Site-directed mutagenesis demonstrated that both NRE-1a and NRE-2b are important in the negative regulation of TCA3 promoter activity. In vivo ligation-mediated PCR footprinting of the NRE-2 region revealed protection between -1372 and -1354, which contains NRE-2b. The data thus demonstrate identity of a silencer motif, here termed NRE-2b, in both the alphaIIb integrin gene and the TCA3, and that this silencer region in mast cells is functional both in vivo and in vitro. Further, evidence is presented that the promoter for TCA3 contains a novel silencer motif, termed NRE-1a, characterized by a CT-rich sequence.
Animals↗
Glucocorticoids decrease tissue mast cell number by reducing the production of the c-kit ligand, stem cell factor, by resident cells: in vitro and in vivo evidence in murine systems.
The local delivery of glucocorticoids to tissues significantly decreases mast cell number. This pharmacologic effect of glucocorticoids is believed to be one of the mechanisms by which glucocorticoids regulate allergic inflammation. To determine the mechanism by which glucocorticoids are able to exert this effect, we first applied the glucocorticoid fluocinonide to mouse dermis and observed that the decrease in mast cell number was associated with an increase in mast cell apoptosis. This did not appear to be due to a direct effect of the glucocorticoid on mast cells, as the addition of 0.01-1.0 microM of the glucocorticoid dexamethasone into stem cell factor (SCF)-dependent mast cell cultures did not enhance mast cell death. However, addition of dexamethasone to cultured fibroblasts did result in a downregulation of SCF mRNA and a significant decrease in SCF protein production. Similarly, immunohistochemistry performed on fluocinonide-treated mouse dermis revealed a decrease in immunoreactive SCF. Administration of SCF at sites of fluocinonide administration to the dermis abolished the mast cell-depleting effect of this glucocorticoid. Thus, glucocorticoids decrease tissue mast cell number by downregulating tissue SCF production required for the survival of local mast cells. This observation may be applicable to the design of improved strategies to treat mast cell-mediated disorders.
3T3 Cells↗
Aggregation of low affinity IgG receptors induces mast cell adherence to fibronectin: requirement for the common FcR gamma-chain.
Mast cells have been reported to increase at sites of immune complex-induced inflammation where these cells appear to potentiate the inflammatory response. The mechanism by which mast cells accumulate at these sites is unknown. One possibility is that aggregation of low affinity IgG receptors could signal mast cells to adhere to components of the connective tissue matrix. To test this hypothesis, we first added aggregated IgG to a mast cell adhesion assay employing fibronectin as a matrix component and observed an increase in cell adhesion. Even a small amount of aggregated IgG (< 60 ng/ml) demonstrated by fast protein liquid chromatography in untreated IgG preparations was sufficient to increase mast cell adhesion by 100%. We next explored the Fc gamma receptors involved. Fc gammaRII/III, which are receptors for oligomeric IgG and were first verified as present on these mast cells by FACS analysis and immunoprecipitation, signaled mast cells to rapidly adhere to fibronectin when aggregated with the anti-receptor Ab2.4G2. The adhesion process mediated by Fc gammaRII/III was not associated with beta-hexosaminidase release. Bone marrow-cultured mast cells from common gamma-chain deficient mice, unlike mast cells cultured from +/+ mice, did not respond to Fc gammaRII/III aggregation. This demonstrated requirement for a gamma-chain implicates oligomeric Fc gammaRIII in the adhesion process. Thus, aggregation of Fc gammaRIII on mast cells leads to mast cell adhesion, demonstrating a previously unknown biological function for this receptor on mast cells and providing a mechanism for mast cell accumulation in immune complex-dependent inflammation.
Animals↗
Lymphotactin gene expression in mast cells following Fc(epsilon) receptor I aggregation: modulation by TGF-beta, IL-4, dexamethasone, and cyclosporin A.
Recruitment of lymphocytes is a prominent feature of allergic inflammation. However, the mechanisms by which lymphocytes are attracted to such sites are not understood. Recently, cDNAs encoding a lymphocyte-specific chemokine, lymphotactin (Ltn), were isolated from mouse pro-T cell and human CD8+ T cell libraries, leading us to hypothesize that mast cells might also produce Ltn. Using the reverse transcriptase-PCR and Northern blot analysis, we found that the Ltn gene is inducible in C1.MC/C57.1 and murine bone marrow-cultured mast cells (BMCMC) by Fc(epsilon)RI aggregation. Activation of a human mast cell (HMC-1) or basophil cell line (KU812) similarly led to transcription of Ltn. Fc(epsilon)RI aggregation-dependent Ltn mRNA expression was detected by 1 to 2 h, maximal at 6 h, independent of de novo protein synthesis, and was inhibited by cyclosporin A and dexamethasone. Compared with macrophage inflammatory protein alpha (MIP-1alpha), Fc(epsilon)RI-dependent Ltn and MIP-1alpha mRNA levels were up-regulated by IL-4, but not IFN-gamma, although higher levels of IL-4 (100 and 1000 U/ml) inhibited Ltn expression only; and TGF-beta preferentially enhanced Fc(epsilon)RI-dependent Ltn mRNA levels, suggesting that Ltn and MIP-1alpha have shared and unique regulatory mechanisms. A rabbit polyclonal Ab against a synthetic peptide was developed for use in immunoblot analysis and detected a 15-kDa Ltn protein within mast cell pellets and in the supernatants of mast cells following Fc(epsilon)RI aggregation. Ltn is thus expressed in mast cells and may contribute to the recruitment of lymphocytes to areas of allergic inflammation.
Animals↗
Human mast cells express functional TrkA and are a source of nerve growth factor.
Mast cells are the principal effector cells in IgE-dependent hypersensitivity reactions. Despite reports that rodent mast cells proliferate in the presence of nerve growth factor (NGF), human mast cells reportedly do not respond to this factor. To determine if human mast cells express the NGF receptors, TrkA tyrosine receptor and the low affinity NGF receptor (LNGFR), we first analyzed the mRNA expression by RT-PCR of TrkA and LNGFR in a human mast cell line (HMC-1) and in human mast cells cultured in the presence of stem cell factor. Both HMC-1 and cultured human mast cells were found to express TrkA but not LNGFR. TrkA protein was demonstrated by Western blot analysis of HMC-1 lysates. Using flow cytometric analysis and mast cell tryptase as a mast cell marker, both HMC-1 cells and cultured human mast cells were shown to coexpress tryptase and TrkA. Treatment of mast cells with NGF resulted in phosphorylation of TrkA on tyrosine residues as detected by immunoblotting with an antiphosphotyrosine antibody. Furthermore, NGF induced the immediate early gene c-fos in HMC-1 cells. HMC-1 cells and cultured human mast cells were also found to express NGF mRNA, and conditioned medium from HMC-1 cells stimulated neurite outgrowth from chicken embryonic sensory ganglia in culture. This effect was blocked by anti-NGF. Thus, mast cells express functional TrkA and synthesize NGF, suggesting a mechanism by which NGF may act as an autocrine factor for human mast cells, and by which mast cells and nerves may interact.
Cell Communication↗
The protooncogene c-kit and c-kit ligand in human disease.
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Animals↗
Characterization of a mast cell line that lacks the extracellular domain of membrane c-kit.
Expression of the c-kit proto-oncogene receptor on mast cells is essential for their normal proliferation and maturation as well as for several biological responses such as chemotaxis and attachment. In the present study we report that the interleukin-3 (IL-3)-dependent mast cell line CFTL-15 lacks the extracellular domain of the c-kit receptor. This observation was made after noting that the c-kit ligand stem cell factor (SCF) could not prevent IL-3 deprivation-induced mast cell apoptosis and that CFTL-15 cells did not proliferate in response to SCF. Flow cytometric analysis employing monoclonal anti-c-kit antibodies, and immunogold labelling with analysis by electron microscopy, subsequently showed a diminished expression of c-kit on CFTL-15 cells. There was no identifiable message for the extracellular domain of c-kit in these cells, as determined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). These previously unrecognized properties of the CFTL-15 mast cell line allowed the examination of other biological consequences of the lack of c-kit on mast cells. Analysing the ability of these cells to adhere to surface-bound fibronectin, it was found that addition of SCF did not increase their adhesion to this substrate, in opposition to what is reported with other mast cells. Similarly, CFTL-15 mast cells did not adhere to fibroblasts, which is known to require c-kit expression. Also, there was no protein tyrosine phosphorylation in these cells in response to SCF. CFTL-15 cells underwent apoptosis on removal of IL-3 coincident with a decrease in endogenous Bcl-2 mRNA. Overexpression of Bcl-2 cDNA prolonged survival of Bcl-2-transfected CFTL-15 cells upon withdrawal of IL-3. Thus, the CFTL-15 cell line that lacks surface c-kit is not able to proliferate in response to SCF, undergoes apoptosis in the presence of SCF, and does not adhere to fibroblasts. These results confirm earlier studies on the functional consequences of c-kit and provide a novel experimental model for further investigation.
Animals↗
Characterization of adhesive interactions between mast cells and laminin isoforms: evidence of a principal role for alpha 6 integrin.
Mast cells are known to adhere to laminin, although there is limited information on the characteristics of this event. To further examine this adhesive interaction, we thus determined the adherence of murine mast cell lines and primary bone marrow cultured mast cells (BMCMC) to murine laminin (mLN), human placental laminin-1 (hLN), merosin (laminin-2) and various laminin fragments, concentrating on activating stimuli, the involvement of integrins, and the effect on mast cell activation. Murine mast cells were found to adhere to both mLN and hLN and to merosin, not only following exposure to phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), but also after Fc epsilon RI aggregation or addition of stem cell factor (SCF). Adhesion to laminin was partially inhibited by soluble E8 and PA22-2, both fragments of laminin that promote mast-cell adhesion when bound on surfaces. Mast-cell lines and BMCMC consistently expressed high levels of alpha 6 integrin. Antibody to alpha 6 blocked spontaneous and inhibited activated mast-cell adhesion to hLN, and inhibited mast-cell adhesion to mLN and its fragment E8. Mast-cell adhesion to both laminin isoforms increased Fc epsilon RI-mediated mast-cell secretion. These observations demonstrate that mast-cell attachment to laminin is promoted by physiological stimuli, is mediated principally by alpha 6 integrin, and results in enhanced cell activation.
Animals↗
Systemic mastocytosis: CT and US features of abdominal manifestations.
PURPOSE: To study the imaging findings in patients with systemic mastocytosis and to correlate the findings with the severity of disease on the basis of an established classification system. Pathologic findings, when available, were correlated with imaging findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Computed tomographic (CT) and ultrasound (US) scans and corresponding pathologic findings, when available, were retrospectively reviewed in 27 patients with systemic mastocytosis. RESULTS: Only five (19%) of the patients in our series had normal abdominal CT and/or US examination results. Common abdominal imaging findings associated with systemic mastocytosis were hepatosplenomegaly, retroperitoneal adenopathy, periportal adenopathy, mesenteric adenopathy, thickening of the omentum and the mesentery, and ascites. Less common findings included hepatofugal portal venous flow, Budd-Chiari syndrome, cavernous transformation of the portal vein, ovarian mass, and complications such as chloroma. The findings were more common in patients with category II and those with category III disease. CONCLUSION: Abdominal findings at CT and US are common in patients with systemic mastocytosis. Although the findings in patients with systemic mastocytosis are not specific to the disease, they are useful in directing further studies for diagnostic confirmation and in estimating the extent of systemic involvement.
Abdomen↗
Extracellular matrix-anchored serum amyloid A preferentially induces mast cell adhesion.
Mast cells are known to accumulate in various inflammatory processes, some of which are known to be associated with increased local and systemic levels of acute-phase reactants such as serum amyloid A (SAA) or with amyloid deposition. The mechanism(s) by which mast cells are recruited to these sites, however, has not been fully elucidated. It has recently been shown that SAA interacts with extracellular matrix (ECM) components and thereby acts as a chemoattractant and regulator of immune cell migration. On the basis of these observations, we examined the effect of SAA on mast cell adhesion to ECM, an essential step in cellular transmigration. We could first demonstrate strong specific binding of recombinant human SAA (rSAA) to murine mast cells using flow cytometry. Moreover, radiolabeled rSAA was found to bind, in a saturable manner, to mast cells, reaching a binding affinity of 10(-8) M. When immobilized by preincubation with ECM, SAA or its proteolytically degraded amyloid A fragment (amino acid residues 2-82), which contains RGD-related adhesion motif but not the COOH-terminal portion of SAA (amino acid residues 77-104), induced the adhesion of resting mast cells to ECM or laminin. SAA and AA, in soluble or immobilized forms, did not activate mast cells to release mediators. Mast cell adhesion to the immobilized ECM-SAA complex appeared to occur through an integrin recognition, inasmuch as adhesion was calcium dependent and could be blocked by an RGD-containing peptide or by anti-CD29 monoclonal antibody. Genistein also inhibited adhesion, indicating that tyrosine kinase activity was involved. These data suggest that SAA bound to ECM may serve as an important inducer of mast cell adhesion, thus regulating mast cell recruitment and accumulation at these sites, which in turn could potentiate further pathology.
Animals↗
Mast cells.
Mast cells are found resident in tissues throughout the body, particularly in association with structures such as blood vessels and nerves, and in proximity to surfaces that interface the external environment. Mast cells are bone marrow-derived and particularly depend upon stem cell factor for their survival. Mast cells express a variety of phenotypic features within tissues as determined by the local environment. Withdrawal of required growth factors results in mast cell apoptosis. Mast cells appear to be highly engineered cells with multiple critical biological functions. They may be activated by a number of stimuli that are both Fc epsilon RI dependent and Fc epsilon RI independent. Activation through various receptors leads to distinct signaling pathways. After activation, mast cells may immediately extrude granule-associated mediators and generate lipid-derived substances that induce immediate allergic inflammation. Mast cell activation may also be followed by the synthesis of chemokines and cytokines. Cytokine and chemokine secretion, which occurs hours later, may contribute to chronic inflammation. Biological functions of mast cells appear to include a role in innate immunity, involvement in host defense mechanisms against parasitic infestations, immunomodulation of the immune system, and tissue repair and angiogenesis.
Animals↗