Mouse splenic and bone marrow cell populations that express high-affinity Fc epsilon receptors and produce interleukin 4 are highly enriched in basophils.
Splenic and bone marrow cells from normal mice, and from mice that have been polyclonally activated by injection of anti-IgD antibody, contain cells that produce interleukin 4 (IL-4) in response to crosslinkage of Fc epsilon receptors (Fc epsilon R) or Fc gamma R or to ionomycin. Isolated Fc epsilon R+ cells have recently been shown to contain all of the IL-4-producing capacity of the nonlymphoid compartment of spleen and bone marrow. Here, purified Fc epsilon R+ cells are shown to be enriched in cells that contain histamine and express alcian blue-positive cytoplasmic granules. By electron microscopy, the vast majority of cytoplasmic granule-containing cells are basophils; they constitute approximately 25% and approximately 50%, respectively, of Fc epsilon R+ spleen and bone marrow cells from anti-IgD-injected mice. The Fc epsilon R- populations contain cells that form colonies typical of mast cells. The Fc epsilon R+ populations also contain cells that, upon culture with IL-3, form colonies of alcian blue-positive cells, but (in contrast to colonies derived from Fc epsilon R- populations) the colonies are small, and all the cells die within 2-3 weeks. The Fc epsilon R+ cells synthesize histamine during a 60-hr culture with IL-3, while the Fc epsilon R- cells do not. These results indicate that IL-4-producing Fc epsilon R+ cells are highly enriched in basophils.
Seder
R A
RA
Laboratory of Immunology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892.
Paul
W E
WE
Dvorak
A M
AM
Sharkis
S J
SJ
Kagey-Sobotka
A
A
Niv
Y
Y
Finkelman
F D
FD
Barbieri
S A
SA
Galli
S J
SJ
Plaut
M
M
D000818:Animals; D000944:Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D001491:Basophils / Q000276:immunology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000276:immunology*; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells; D005260:Female; D006632:Histamine / Q000032:analysis; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000378:metabolism; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D011961:Receptors, Fc / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D017455:Receptors, IgE; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*
D000944:Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte; D011961:Receptors, Fc; D017455:Receptors, IgE; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D006632:Histamine