Cord-blood-derived human cultured mast cells produce interleukin 13 in the presence of stem cell factor.
BACKGROUND
Mast cells have been regarded as a potential source of cytokines. Although the human mast cell line HMC-1 and human lung mast cells have been shown to produce interleukin (IL) 13, it still remains uncertain whether cord-blood-derived human cultured mast cells produce IL-13.


METHODS
Human cultured mast cells were raised from cord blood cells in the presence of stem cell factor (SCF) and IL-6. Levels of IL-13 mRNA were examined by a semiquantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. IL-13 levels in the supernatants were measured with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.


RESULTS
When the IgE-sensitized cultured mast cells were activated with anti-IgE, mRNA for IL-13 was amplified with a peak at 3 h after the stimulation. IL-13 was not detected in the supernatants of the activated mast cells in the absence of SCF, whereas the mast cells secreted significant amounts of IL-13 after the stimulation in the presence of SCF. Calcium ionophore A23187 also stimulated the mast cells to release IL-13 into the supernatant in the presence of SCF.


CONCLUSIONS
These observations suggest that human mast cells can produce IL-13 under the condition with SCF. The cord-blood-derived human cultured mast cells will help in studying the functional properties of human mast cells in allergic diseases.
Kanbe
N
N
Department of Dermatology, Gunma University School of Medicine, Maebashi, bDepartment of Geriatric Medicine, Hirosaki University School of Medicine, Hirosaki, Japan.
Kurosawa
M
M
Yamashita
T
T
Kurimoto
F
F
Yanagihara
Y
Y
Miyachi
Y
Y
D000001:Calcimycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D018793:Interleukin-13 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D019089:Stem Cell Factor / Q000494:pharmacology*
D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D018793:Interleukin-13; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D019089:Stem Cell Factor; D000001:Calcimycin