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Mast cells play a critical role in allergic airway responses via IgE-specific activation and release of potent inflammatory mediators. In the present study, we have isolated and characterized primary mast cell lines derived from the upper airways of normal mice. The primary mast cell lines were grown and maintained by incubation with interleukin-3 (IL-3) and stem cell factor (SCF) and shown to be c-kit (SCF receptor) positive by flow cytometry. Subsequently, we examined the proliferation of both airway and bone marrow derived mast cell lines in response to inflammatory and hematopoietic cytokines, including SCF, IL-1, IL-3, interferon-gamma, IL-4, and IL-10. The results from the pulmonary mast cell lines were compared with those from bone marrow derived mast cells. Pulmonary mast cell lines were capable of proliferating in response to IL-3, IL-4, IL-10, and SCF, whereas the combination of SCF with the other cytokines did not increase the response over SCF alone. In contrast, the bone marrow-derived mast cells proliferated strongest to SCF or IL-3, but only modestly to IL-4 and IL-10. Furthermore, the combination of SCF with IL-3, but not the other cytokines, exhibited an increase in bone marrow-derived mast cell proliferation. Cytokine-specific stimulation of histamine release in the airway-derived and bone marrow-derived mast cells showed parallel results. SCF was the only cytokine shown to induce substantial histamine release. However, when certain nonhistamine releasing cytokines were combined with SCF, a synergistic increase in histamine release was induced in upper airway, but not bone marrow-derived mast cells. The results of these studies suggest that cytokines differentially modulate induction of proliferation and degranulation of bone marrow and upper airway-derived mast cells and may further indicate a cytokine activational cascade in tissue mast cells.

The extravasation of leukocytes from the lumen of the vessel to a site of inflammation initially requires a specific binding event followed by migration of the cells through the endothelial cell layer into the inflammatory foci. The interaction of leukocytes with the endothelium via specific receptors may provide intracellular signals that activate the cells. In the present study we have investigated the production of MIP-1 alpha, a mononuclear cell chemotactic protein, during monocyte:endothelial cell interactions. Neither unstimulated nor interferon (IFN)-stimulated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) produced substantial MIP-1 alpha protein. However, the addition of enriched monocyte populations with unstimulated HUVECs resulted in the production of MIP-1 alpha. Monocytes cultured with IFN-gamma-activated HUVECs showed an additional increase in MIP-1 alpha production. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated that the monocyte was the cellular source of MIP-1 alpha production in this coculture system. The mechanism of MIP-1 alpha expression was further assessed by determining the role of adhesion molecules in the regulation of MIP-1 alpha production during monocyte:HUVEC interactions. To attenuate the increased production of MIP-1 alpha by the monocyte:HUVEC interaction, anti-adhesion molecule monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) were added to the cultures. Addition of anti-ICAM-1 neutralizing MoAbs significantly inhibited the production of MIP-1 alpha, whereas neutralizing anti-VCAM-1 MoAbs failed to block MIP-1 alpha production. Furthermore, MIP-1 alpha production was induced in monocytes cultured on ICAM-1-coated plates. These results indicate an intimate relationship between leukocyte-endothelial cells, adhesion molecule, and the expression of the monocyte-derived chemokine MIP-1 alpha during cellular adhesion. This mechanism may serve an important role in cell activation and recruitment of leukocytes during the initiation of an inflammatory response.