title: Evidence that brain mast cells can modulate neuroinflammatory responses by tumour necrosis factor-alpha production.
abstract: Tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) levels in mammalian brain increase during neuroinflammatory diseases. We used the competitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to quantify the amount of TNF-alpha in stimulated and unstimulated brain mast cells (BMC). A cDNA fragment shortened by a deletion of 56 bp was used as an internal TNF-alpha-specific standard. The immunological stimulus resulted in enhanced TNF-alpha mRNA expression and increased release of histamine and TNF-alpha. This is the first time that BMC showing functional FCepsilonRI-bound IgE receptors have been purified. Our results support the hypothesis that BMC mediators might induce an initial response in neuroinflammatory diseases.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Biologia dello Sviluppo, CNR, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cocchiara
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bongiovanni
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Albeggiani
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Azzolina
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Geraci
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006636:Histamine Release; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D009443:Neuritis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007073:Immunoglobulin E