title: Phagocytic and tumor necrosis factor alpha response of human mast cells following exposure to gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria.
abstract: Recent studies have implicated rodent mast cells in the innate immune response to infectious bacteria. We report that cord blood-derived human mast cells (CBHMC) obtained from culture of cord blood progenitors phagocytozed and killed various gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria and simultaneously released considerable amounts of tumor necrosis factor alpha. Overall, the extent of the endocytic and exocytic response of CBHMC correlated with the number of adherent bacteria. Thus, human mast cells are intrinsically capable of mediating microbial recognition and of actively contributing to the host defense against bacteria.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Cellular and Molecular Hematology, Faculty of Pharmacy, 75270 Paris Cedex 06, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arock
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lai-Kuen
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Averlant
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: S N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Abraham
mesh_terms: D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria; D006801:Humans; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010587:Phagocytosis; D011554:Pseudopodia; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha