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Mast cells obtained by fragmentation of human lung tissue retained the capacity to bind IgE and to respond to immunological challenge. Direct binding studies with radiolabelled IgE enabled quantification of binding parameters of the reaction between IgE and its receptor on human mast cells. The average equilibrium constant was estimated as 1.0 × 108 M-1 and the average number of IgE receptors per mast cell as 1.3 × 105. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the capacity of purified rat peritoneal connective tissue-type mast cells (PMC) to express mRNA for several cytokines. Stimulation of PMC with anti-IgE for 4 hr induced the expression of mRNA encoding interleukin-5 (IL-5), IL-6, tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ). Unstimulated PMC expressed detectable mRNA for TNF-α but not for the other four cytokines. incubation of PMC with cyclosporin A (CsA) or dexamethasone (DEX), each at 10-6 M for 24 hr, significantly inhibited the induced expression of mRNA for each of the five cytokines, and also inhibited release of biologically active TNF-α. Throughout these experiments mRNA levels of the housekeeping gene G3PDH were not altered by stimulation with anti-IgE or incubation with CsA or DEX. We conclude that immunological activation of rat PMC induces gene expression of several cytokines and that expression of these genes can be inhibited by immunosuppressive drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mice primed with the anti-arthritic drug D-penicillamine (DP) developed DP-specific T cells in the draining lymph nodes (DLN) which responded to drug-haptenated stimulator cells, but not to untreated control cells nor to free drug, in in vitro proliferation assays. The responder cells were CD4+ and the response was major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II restricted. The conditions required to generate efficient stimulator cells for in vitro proliferation assays were investigated. Drug-haptenated syngeneic spleen cells, but not thymocytes, were able to stimulate T cells from DP-sensitized mice. However, prolonged incubations of spleen cells with DP were required to generate the drug-derived T-cell antigen. Further experiments revealed that the generation of a DP-derived antigenic determinant for T cells did not require intracellular processing, as stimulator cells pretreated with fixative or lysosomotropic agents before drug haptenation were as effective as untreated DP-haptenated cells in stimulating the responder cells to proliferative in vitro. These findings show that the protein-reactive drug DP can generate a cellular antigen that is capable of stimulating a T-cell response. Furthermore, the generation of this antigen appears to bypass conventional antigen processing, suggesting perhaps a direct chemical modification of cell surface molecules that are involved in immune recognition. This process may underlie adverse reactions to DP that are believed to be mediated by the cellular immune system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conditioned medium (CM) from concanavalin A (Con A)stimulated murine spleen cells inhibited release of histamine and 5-HT from murine peritoneal mast cells sensitized with monoclonal IgE anti- DNP antibody and challenged with DNP-human serum albumin (HSA) antigen. Inhibition was seen when the CM was added to the mast cells either 24 hr before or simultaneous with, but not 24 hr subsequent to, the IgE, thus showing that inhibition was at the IgE-dependent stage of mast cell sensitization. Unconditioned medium, prepared in the same way as CM but not exposed to spleen cells was without activity, demonstrating that inhibition was due to a spleen cell-derived factor. CM from unstimulated spleen cells was likewise without activity. The sensitization inhibitory factor appears to be a protein, since it was retained upon dialysis, and destroyed by heating at 700 and above. The factor does not appear to be IgE, since it was stable at 56°, and is not IL-1 or IL-2, since recombinant human IL-lα and IL-lβ, and recombinant mouse IL-lα and IL-2 were without inhibitory activity. The active CM and all recombinant IL-I and IL-2 preparations did not release histamine or 5-HT directly from mast cells during 48 hr of culture, and did not modulate the histamine content of these cells, nor their capacity to incorporate [3H]5-HT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incubation of murine peritoneal cells with monoclonal IgE anti-DNP antibody in vitro led to sensitization of mast cells, measured as release of 5-HT upon challenge with DNPHSA antigen. Sensitization was maximal at 0.3-30 μg/ml of IgE anti-DNP and declined above and below this concentration range. In kinetic studies, the time-course of sensitization was clearly divisible into an early slow phase of approximately 4 hr, followed by a more rapid linear phase from 4 to 48 hr. The early slow phase was more pronounced at lower concentrations of IgE anti-DNP (within the range 005-50 μg/ml). The degree of sensitization obtained after incubation of peritoneal cells with IgE anti-DNP for fixed periods (2, 4 and 8 hr) was markedly increased when the cells were washed and recultured in IgE-free medium, thus demonstrating that sensitization proceeds subsequent to an early stage of binding of IgE to receptors. Sensitization with IgE anti-DNP was blocked by addition of excess rat myeloma IgE, but only to a marked extent (>50%) when the blocking immunoglobulin was added during the first 2 hr. thus providing further evidence that the major part of binding of the IgE antibody took place during this early stage, that is, prior to the phase of greatest sensitization. These findings indicate a period of delay between binding of IgE to teceptors and functional sensitization, measured as mediator release in response to antigen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report that stem-cell factor (SCF), the ligand of the receptor encoded by the c-kit proto-oncogene, is a potent activator of degranulation of rat peritoneal mast cells in vitro and in vivo. Freshly isolated, purified mast cells were relatively unresponsive to SCF (4–500ng/ml) but progressively acquired responsiveness to this agent, assessed as serotonin (5-HT) release, during 48 hr culture in vitro. The cells showed a similar kinetic pattern of acquisition of responsiveness to anti-IgE but responded fully to calcium ionophore A23187 or compound 48/80 regardless of time in culture. Acquisition of mast cell responsiveness to SCF or anti-IgE was not due to serum factors or to recovery from the Percoll purification procedure. During culture, mast cell expression of the SCF receptor (SCFR) increased, and this may explain in part the increased responsiveness to SCF. However, surface IgE expression remained constant, and the increased responses to anti-IgE therefore must reflect changes in components of the secretion-coupling pathway that are activated subsequent to IgE cross-linking. The unresponsiveness of freshly isolated peritoneal mast cells to SCF or anti-IgE does not reflect a state of in vivo unresponsiveness, as peritoneal mast cells degranulated in vivo in response to these agents. We conclude that in terms of their responsiveness to SCF or anti-IgE, cultured tissue mast cells may be more representative than freshly isolated mast cells of secretory function in vivo, and therefore may be more appropriate for physiological or pharmacological studies of SCF- or IgE-dependent secretory responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study demonstrates an essential role for interleukin-4 (IL-4) in the delayed hypersensitivity reaction, as illustrated by contact sensitivity (CS) to trinitrochlorobenzene (TNCB). Injection of mice with monoclonal antibody to IL-4, but not with control antibody, reduced CS after active immunization by 75%, as judged by ear swelling. The histological alterations of CS were also reduced. IL-4 was essential to the effector stage, as inhibition of its production or action blocked the passive transfer of CS. In particular, treatment of immune lymph node cells with antisense oligonucleotide to IL-4 inhibited the systemic transfer of CS. Transfer was also inhibited by monoclonal antibody to IL-4 given to the recipient. The present results indicate that IL-4 is an essential cytokine at the effector stage of the CS reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have examined the interactions between interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin-3 (IL-3) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) in the regulation of IgE/antigen-induced secretory responses of mouse peritoneal mast cells. The cytokines were added either alone or in various combinations to cultured mast cells sensitized passively with IgE antibody. In experiments with unfractionated peritoneal cells (containing approx. 1% mast cells), IL-3 and IL-4 enhanced in an additive manner antigen-induced release of serotonin (5-HT), while IFN-γ inhibited release regardless of whether IL-3 and/or IL-4 were present. In experiments employing mast cells purified to >90%, IL-3 and IL-4 retained their enhancing activities whereas the inhibitory effect of IFN-γ was considerably diminished. Nevertheless, IFN-γ still inhibited significantly IL-4-enhanced secretion. The effects of IL-3 and IL-4 ± IFN-γ, on arachidonate release were identical to those seen for 5-HT release, indicating that the secretion of both preformed mediators and newly synthesized eicosanoids is regulated in a similar way by these cytokines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Induction of an auto-anti-IgE (auto-aIgE) response in the rat inhibits both total and specific IgE production and alters the distribution of mast cell (MC) subpopulations identified by differential Alcian blue/safranin staining. We have extended these observations by characterizing the auto-aIgE antibodies and determining their effects on MC degranulation in vitro and in vivo. An auto-aIgE response was induced in bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG)-primed rats by injecting a conjugate of highly purified rat IgE myeloma (IR2) coupled to tuberculin-derived purified protein derivative (PPD). Anti-IgE autoantibodies were almost exclusively IgG2a. The intradermal injection of autos aIgE into untreated rats induced local MC degranulation as shown by a strong immediate skin response. Histologically there was evidence of significant degranulation of safranin staining connective tissue MC (SMC) in the skin but not of the Alcian blue staining MC (ABMC) in the subepidermal region. The induced degranulation was ∊-chain specific; immunopurified anti-idiotypic antibodies raised to the IgE IR2 myeloma had no MC degranulating activity. When administered locally, auto-aIgE inhibited a subsequent passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) response elicited by anti-ovalbumin IgE. In addition, the PCA response was significantly decreased in animals with an ongoing auto-aIgE response. Immunopurified auto-aIgE also induced histamine release in vitro from rat peritoneal MC. These results are discussed in the context of naturally occurring autoantibodies to IgE present in patients with allergic disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is known that the release of granule-associated inflammatory amines by isolated mouse tissue-type mast cells is subject to regulation in vitro by a number of cytokines that are produced during the immune response. In this study we investigated whether mast cell secretory function might also be subject to regulation in vivo during active sensitization. Mice were sensitized with one of three chemical allergens (trimellitic anhydride, TMA; 2.4-dinitrochlorobenzene, DNCB; or oxazolone) all of which induce contact sensitization and one of which (TMA) in addition causes immediate hypersensitivity. Peritoneal mast cells isolated from treated mice and sensitized passively with IgE released a greater proportion of cellular serotonin (5-HT) on stimulation either by anti-IgE or by specific antigen than did cells isolated from vehicle-treated controls. These results show that the function of mast cells is susceptible in vivo to regulatory influences that result from induction of an immune response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report that cultured rat peritoneal cells spontaneously synthesize nitric oxide and this is associated with active suppression of mast cell secretory function. Addition of interleukin-4 (IL-4) or the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor N-monomethyl-l-arginine to peritoneal cells inhibited nitric oxide synthesis and enhanced anti-IgE-mediated mast cell degranulation, measured as serotonin release. Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) completely overcame the enhancement of serotonin release and suppression of nitrite production induced by IL-4. Over several experiments, with or without IL-4 and/or IFN-gamma, serotonin release correlated inversely with nitrite production. On a cell-for-cell basis, non-mast cells produced approximately 30 times more nitrite than mast cells in peritoneal cell populations, with or without IFN-gamma stimulation. The nitric oxide donor S-nitrosoglutathione inhibited anti-IgE-induced serotonin release from purified mast cells, whereas 8-bromo-cyclic GMP, the guanylate cyclase inhibitor 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one, superoxide dismutase and the peroxynitrite scavenger uric acid, were without effect. We conclude that IL-4 and IFN-gamma reciprocally regulate mast cell secretory responsiveness via control of nitric oxide synthesis by accessory cells; the nitric oxide effect on mast cells is direct but does not involve cyclic GMP or peroxynitrite.

We report that stem-cell factor (SCF), the ligand of the receptor encoded by the c-kit proto-oncogene, is a potent activator of degranulation of rat peritoneal mast cells in vitro and in vivo. Freshly isolated, purified mast cells were relatively unresponsive to SCF (4-500 ng/ml) but progressively acquired responsiveness to this agent, assessed as serotonin (5-HT) release, during 48 hr culture in vitro. The cells showed a similar kinetic pattern of acquisition of responsiveness to anti-IgE but responded fully to calcium ionophore A23187 or compound 48/80 regardless of time in culture. Acquisition of mast cell responsiveness to SCF or anti-IgE was not due to serum factors or to recovery from the Percoll purification procedure. During culture, mast cell expression of the SCF receptor (SCFR) increased, and this may explain in part the increased responsiveness to SCF. However, surface IgE expression remained constant, and the increased responses to anti-IgE therefore must reflect changes in components of the secretion-coupling pathway that are activated subsequent to IgE cross-linking. The unresponsiveness of freshly isolated peritoneal mast cells to SCF or anti-IgE does not reflect a state of in vivo unresponsiveness, as peritoneal mast cells degranulated in vivo in response to these agents. We conclude that in terms of their responsiveness to SCF or anti-IgE, cultured tissue mast cells may be more representative than freshly isolated mast cells of secretory function in vivo, and therefore may be more appropriate for physiological or pharmacological studies of SCF- or IgE-dependent secretory responses.

We examined the capacity of purified rat peritoneal connective tissue-type mast cells (PMC) to express mRNA for several cytokines. Stimulation of PMC with anti-IgE for 4 hr induced the expression of mRNA encoding interleukin-5 (IL-5), IL-6, tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma). Unstimulated PMC expressed detectable mRNA for TNF-alpha but not for the other four cytokines. Incubation of PMC with cyclosporin A (CsA) or dexamethasone (DEX), each at 10(-6) M for 24 hr, significantly inhibited the induced expression of mRNA for each of the five cytokines, and also inhibited release of biologically active TNF-alpha. Throughout these experiments mRNA levels of the housekeeping gene G3PDH were not altered by stimulation with anti-IgE or incubation with CsA or DEX. We conclude that immunological activation of rat PMC induces gene expression of several cytokines and that expression of these genes can be inhibited by immunosuppressive drugs.

We examined the capacity of interleukin (IL)-4 to induce or enhance the expression of certain cytokines in resting and activated cells of the HMC-1 human leukemic mast cell line. The HMC-1 mast cells were cultured with or without recombinant human IL-4 and then activated with the calcium ionophore ionomycin. Stimulation of non-IL-4-treated cells with ionomycin (10 microM) for periods of 30 min to 8 hr induced expression of mRNA encoding IL-3, IL-4 and IL-8 but was without effect on levels of mRNA for tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha or beta-actin. Culture of the cells with IL-4 (100 ng/ml) for 24 hr led to a small increase in resting levels of mRNA for IL-3 and IL-8 but not for IL-4, TNF-alpha or beta-actin. More notably, the IL-4 treatment produced a pronounced elevation of mRNA for IL-3 and IL-8 when the cells were subsequently activated with ionomycin. The IL-4 treatment produced a negligible effect on IL-4 mRNA, and no effect on TNF-alpha or beta-actin mRNA levels in ionomycin-activated cells. Quantitation of cDNA by competitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) revealed that the IL-4 treatment produced a sixfold increase in ionomycin-induced levels of cellular IL-3 mRNA, a fourfold increase in induced IL-8 mRNA and less than a twofold increase in induced IL-4 mRNA. The IL-4 treatment led to a 15- to 20-fold increase in ionomycin-induced secretion of IL-3 product and a doubling of induced IL-8 product. These effects of IL-4 were not associated with increased mast cell numbers. We conclude that IL-4 alone is a weak activator of IL-3 and IL-8 gene expression in mast cells, but is able to enhance activation signals in stimulated mast cells leading to transcription and secretion of these two cytokines.

We have examined the interactions between interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), interleukin-3 (IL-3) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) in the regulation of IgE/antigen-induced secretory responses of mouse peritoneal mast cells. The cytokines were added either alone or in various combinations to cultured mast cells sensitized passively with IgE antibody. In experiments with unfractionated peritoneal cells (containing approx. 1% mast cells), IL-3 and IL-4 enhanced in an additive manner antigen-induced release of serotonin (5-HT), while IFN-gamma inhibited release regardless of whether IL-3 and/or IL-4 were present. In experiments employing mast cells purified to > 90%, IL-3 and IL-4 retained their enhancing activities whereas the inhibitory effect of IFN-gamma was considerably diminished. Nevertheless, IFN-gamma still inhibited significantly IL-4-enhanced secretion. The effects of IL-3 and IL-4 +/- IFN-gamma on arachidonate release were identical to those seen for 5-HT release, indicating that the secretion of both preformed mediators and newly synthesized eicosanoids is regulated in a similar way by these cytokines.

Conjugation of the protein-reactive drugs D-penicillamine (PA) and benzylpenicillin (BP) to immune cells to generate drug-derived antigenic determinants has been implicated in drug-induced allergies and autoimmunity. We have therefore developed an in vitro system to demonstrate and characterize the formation of cellular antigens by these drugs. Binding of PA and BP to rat peritoneal exudate cells was detected by a cell ELISA, employing rabbit antisera specific for each drug, and an indicator system employing a second antibody coupled to biotin-streptavidin-beta-galactosidase. For both drugs, binding was detected over the concentration range 125-1000 micrograms/ml. PA bound cells rapidly (maximum binding within 10 min), whereas BP bound relatively slowly (maximum binding occurring later than 4 hr). A possible role for intracellular processing and cellular metabolic activity in the generation of these drug-derived antigenic determinants was examined. Pretreatment of the cells with the fixative paraformaldehyde significantly enhanced binding of PA but not BP. Treatment of cells with the lysosomotropic agents ammonium chloride or chloroquine, or with the metabolic inactivator sodium azide, did not affect the binding of either drug compared with untreated control cells. However, treatment with the oxidising agent copper sulphate, or the cellular activator phorbol myristate acetate, did significantly enhance binding of both drugs to the cells. Therefore, binding of PA and BP to the cell surface appears not to require an intracellular processing event to generate a recognizable antigenic determinant, but is enhanced by treatments that stimulate oxidative processes.

Conditioned medium (CM) from concanavalin A (Con A)-stimulated murine spleen cells inhibited release of histamine and 5-HT from murine peritoneal mast cells sensitized with monoclonal IgE anti-DNP antibody and challenged with DNP-human serum albumin (HSA) antigen. Inhibition was seen when the CM was added to the mast cells either 24 hr before or simultaneous with, but not 24 hr subsequent to, the IgE, thus showing that inhibition was at the IgE-dependent stage of mast cell sensitization. Unconditioned medium, prepared in the same way as CM but not exposed to spleen cells was without activity, demonstrating that inhibition was due to a spleen cell-derived factor. CM from unstimulated spleen cells was likewise without activity. The sensitization inhibitory factor appears to be a protein, since it was retained upon dialysis, and destroyed by heating at 70 degrees and above. The factor does not appear to be IgE, since it was stable at 56 degrees, and is not IL-1 or IL-2, since recombinant human IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta, and recombinant mouse IL-1 alpha and IL-2 were without inhibitory activity. The active CM and all recombinant IL-1 and IL-2 preparations did not release histamine or 5-HT directly from mast cells during 48 hr of culture, and did not modulate the histamine content of these cells, nor their capacity to incorporate [3H]5-HT.

Incubation of murine peritoneal cells with monoclonal IgE anti-DNP antibody in vitro led to sensitization of mast cells, measured as release of 5-HT upon challenge with DNP-HSA antigen. Sensitization was maximal at 0.3-3.0 micrograms/ml of IgE anti-DNP and declined above and below this concentration range. In kinetic studies, the time-course of sensitization was clearly divisible into an early slow phase of approximately 4 hr, followed by a more rapid linear phase from 4 to 48 hr. The early slow phase was more pronounced at lower concentrations of IgE anti-DNP (within the range 0.05-5.0 micrograms/ml). The degree of sensitization obtained after incubation of peritoneal cells with IgE anti-DNP for fixed periods (2, 4 and 8 hr) was markedly increased when the cells were washed and recultured in IgE-free medium, thus demonstrating that sensitization proceeds subsequent to an early stage of binding of IgE to receptors. Sensitization with IgE anti-DNP was blocked by addition of excess rat myeloma IgE, but only to a marked extent (greater than 50%) when the blocking immunoglobulin was added during the first 2 hr, thus providing further evidence that the major part of binding of the IgE antibody took place during this early stage, that is, prior to the phase of greatest sensitization. These findings indicate a period of delay between binding of IgE to receptors and functional sensitization, measured as mediator release in response to antigen.