title: Preferential expression of interleukin-12 or interleukin-4 by murine bone marrow mast cells derived in mast cell growth factor or interleukin-3.
abstract: In this report we demonstrate that murine bone marrow cells cultured in either interleukin (IL)-3 or mast cell growth factor (MGF, also known as c-kit ligand and stem cell factor) differentially express cytokine genes. Bone marrow cells cultured in IL-3 differentiate and proliferate, taking on a mucosal mast cell-like phenotype. These cells express the IL-4 gene. Bone marrow cells cultured in MGF take on a connective tissue mast cell-like phenotype and possess transcripts for both of the subunits of the IL-12 cytokine. Bone marrow cells cultured in both IL-3 and MGF express the IL-4 gene at lower levels than that seen for the IL-3 culture alone, but do not possess IL-12 gene transcripts. The level of IL-12 subunit transcripts derived from the MGF-derived bone marrow cells was compared to that found in splenocytes and activated macrophages, the only cells in which IL-12 production has been previously documented. Both of the IL-12 subunit transcripts were found, compared to a beta-actin control, to be present within MGF-derived cells in the same if not higher quantities than the splenocyte or macrophage cultures. Mucosal mast cells have been previously implicated in the development of the T helper type 2 (TH2) T cell phenotype via their expression of IL-4. The finding that the MGF-derived connective tissue-like mast cells possess IL-12 transcripts suggests that the development of the TH1 T cell pathway may be positively influenced by this type of mast cell.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City 84132.
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Ducharme
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Weis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells; D016298:Hematopoietic Cell Growth Factors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018664:Interleukin-12; D007377:Interleukin-3 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D007378:Interleukins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D008264:Macrophages / Q000378:metabolism; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D019089:Stem Cell Factor
chemical_list: D016298:Hematopoietic Cell Growth Factors; D007377:Interleukin-3; D007378:Interleukins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D019089:Stem Cell Factor; D018664:Interleukin-12; D015847:Interleukin-4