Production of fibrogenic cytokines by cord blood-derived cultured human mast cells.
BACKGROUND
Mast cells are a potential source of cytokines, but their contribution to nonallergic inflammatory conditions, such as fibrosis, remains unclear.


OBJECTIVE
We investigated whether cord blood-derived cultured human mast cells could produce fibrogenic cytokines by IgE-mediated activation.


METHODS
Mast cells were obtained from human cord blood mononuclear cells by culture with stem cell factor and IL-6. The mast cells were incubated with human myeloma IgE and were activated with anti-IgE. The expression of messenger RNA for fibrogenic cytokines was examined by the reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, and cytokine protein was assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, or bioassay.


RESULTS
Cultured human mast cells constitutively expressed mRNA for transforming growth factor-beta(1), and its expression was not increased by anti-IgE stimulation. The cells released this factor into the culture medium spontaneously, which showed bioactivity after heat treatment. The mast cells also expressed mRNA for platelet-derived growth factor A, which was enhanced with a peak at 3 hours by stimulation with anti-IgE. Conditioned medium from nonactivated mast cells did not contain basic fibroblast growth factor, but this cytokine was released into the medium in a time-dependent manner after stimulation with anti-IgE.


CONCLUSIONS
Human mast cells activated by IgE-mediated stimulation show production of fibrogenic cytokines that varies depending on the cytokine, which suggests possible involvement of mast cell cytokines in the development of fibrosis.
Kanbe
N
N
Department of Dermatology, Gunma University School of Medicine, Hirosaki University School of Medicine, Medicine, Maebashi, Japan.
Kurosawa
M
M
Nagata
H
H
Yamashita
T
T
Kurimoto
F
F
Miyachi
Y
Y
D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics*; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000166:cytology*; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000235:genetics
D016207:Cytokines; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2