title: Demonstration of mast-cell chemotactic activity in nasal lavage fluid: characterization of one chemotaxin as c-kit ligand, stem cell factor.
abstract: Mast cells are known to accumulate in tissue during allergic inflammation. However, the chemotaxins responsible are undefined. Using a modified Boyden chamber and the human mast-cell line HMC-1, we first identified mast-cell chemotactic activity in nasal lavage fluid collected before the pollen season after allergen provocation of allergic patients (n=29) (mean migratory response compared to medium control was 121%, range 85-198%). Mast-cell chemotactic activity was also detected in lavage fluid collected after allergen provocation at the end of a Swedish birch-pollen season from three different treatment groups: topical steroid treatment with budesonide; the topical antihistamine, levocabastine; and placebo. There was no significant difference in mast-cell chemotactic activity between nasal lavage fluid collected from the placebo group (mean=102%), the budesonide-treated group (mean=114%), or the levocabastine group (mean=125%). Stem cell factor (SCF), a known mast-cell chemotaxin, was present in the nasal lavage fluids from all three groups, and correlated with the mast-cell chemotactic activity (r=0.67, P<0.01). The mast-cell chemotactic activity was inhibited (range 5-100%) in some, but not all, nasal lavage fluids by a polyclonal antibody directed against SCF. This report describes the presence of mast-cell chemotactic activity in nasal lavage fluid during an allergic reaction. These findings show that SCF may play a pivotal role in the recruitment of mast cells in allergic rhinitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University Hospital, University of Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nilsson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hjertson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Greiff
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Svensson
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nilsson
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Siegbahn
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000009:adverse effects; D019819:Budesonide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002460:Cell Line; D002630:Chemotactic Factors / Q000502:physiology*; D002634:Chemotaxis, Leukocyte; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D017817:Nasal Lavage Fluid / Q000276:immunology*; D009299:Nasal Provocation Tests; D010880:Piperidines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011058:Pollen / Q000009:adverse effects; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D019089:Stem Cell Factor / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D002630:Chemotactic Factors; D010880:Piperidines; D019089:Stem Cell Factor; D019819:Budesonide; C047340:levocabastine