Human intestinal mast cells produce IL-5 in vitro upon IgE receptor cross-linking and in vivo in the course of intestinal inflammatory disease.
IL-5, known to be produced by T lymphocytes and eosinophils, is a key regulator of intestinal diseases such as parasitosis or eosinophilic gastroenteritis. Here we examined if mast cells contribute to the IL-5 production in human intestinal mucosa. The number of IL-5-positive lamina propria cells was substantially higher in patients with intestinal inflammatory diseases (5.3 +/- 4.6%, n = 17) compared to healthy controls (0.5 +/- 0.9%, n = 8, p < 0.01). In patients, the IL-5-positive cells were eosinophils (70 +/- 13%) and mast cells (29 +/- 14%), whereas in controls all IL-5-positive cells were eosinophils. IL-5-positive T cells were not detected, likely because they do not store IL-5. In vitro studies with isolated human intestinal mast cells and eosinophils showed that mast cells do not produce IL-5 constitutively, but release high amounts of IL-5 (315 +/- 115 pg/10(6) cells) following IgE receptor cross-linking, compared to activated eosinophils (24 +/- 5 pg/10(6) cells). Inhibitor studies suggest a regulation of IL-5 production at the transcriptional level. In conclusion our data demonstrate that activated mast cells are a potent source of IL-5 in the human intestinal mucosa.
Lorentz
A
A
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medical School of Hannover, Germany.
Schwengberg
S
S
Mierke
C
C
Manns
M P
MP
Bischoff
S C
SC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000166:cytology; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017455:Receptors, IgE / Q000378:metabolism*
D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D015848:Interleukin-5; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017455:Receptors, IgE