title: Exposing the mast cell: its novel integrated role in allergy.
abstract: New discoveries have suggested that the mast cell has the potential to regulate allergic inflammation by inducing IgE synthesis from B cells. Under allergic inflammatory conditions, "primed" mast cells appear to express higher levels of the high affinity receptor for IgE and the ligand for the surface antigen CD40, involved in T/B cell interactions leading to immunoglobulin production, as well as Th2-type cytokines, IL-4 and IL-13. The critical role of these cells in the induction of IgE synthesis is supported by the findings that anti-ligand for the surface antigen CD40, anti-IL-4, and anti-IL-13 monoclonal antibodies inhibit IgE production. Mast cells also have the potential to function as antigen presenting cells with the ability to shift T cells into Th2 subtypes. These recent findings suggest that mast cells can modulate important regulatory functions of the allergic response by acting directly on B cells and inducing IgE production.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Malattie dell'Apparato Respiratorio, Università degli Studi di Catania.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Polosa
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Crimi
mesh_terms: D019013:CD40 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology*; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000378:metabolism; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D017455:Receptors, IgE / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D019013:CD40 Antigens; D017455:Receptors, IgE; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007073:Immunoglobulin E