title: The mast cell products histamine and serotonin stimulate and TNF-alpha inhibits the proliferation of murine epidermal keratinocytes in situ.
abstract: To better characterize the proposed growth modulatory functions of mast cells and their products in the regulation of epidermal homeostasis, we have assessed keratinocyte proliferation by incorporation of [3H]thymidine in murine skin organ cultures after incubation with different concentrations of histamine, serotonin or TNF-alpha. Both histamine and serotonin significantly stimulate the proliferation of keratinocytes as compared to controls (P < 0.001), reaching maxima within a range from micro- to nanomolar concentrations. Even at subnanomolar concentration, TNF-alpha significantly inhibits the incorporation of labelled thymidine by epidermal keratinocytes in murine skin organ culture (P < 0.001). These observations support the concept of mast cell products as modulators of keratinocyte proliferation, and suggest a role for mast cells in the regulation of epidermal tissue turnover under physiological conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maurer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Opitz
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Henz
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Paus
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006632:Histamine / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000187:drug effects; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects*; D007700:Kinetics; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D012701:Serotonin / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D012701:Serotonin; D006632:Histamine