title: It takes two to tango: mast cell and Schwann cell interactions in neurofibromas.
abstract: Neurofibromas are benign tumors comprised primarily of Schwann cells and fibroblasts. Mast cell infiltration is a well-known phenomenon; however, their role in tumor pathogenesis has been enigmatic. In an elegant set of experiments using cells derived from a murine model of neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1), Yang et al. dissect the molecular pathways involved in mast cell migration to neurofibromin-deficient Schwann cells. These results set the stage for rational development of therapeutics that could influence the multicellular microenvironment of neurofibromas to inhibit the development and/or progression of these tumors in human NF1.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA. DAVE.VISKOCHIL@hsc.utah.edu
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Viskochil
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D018450:Disease Progression; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008954:Models, Biological; D009154:Mutation; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism; D009455:Neurofibroma / Q000378:metabolism*; D025542:Neurofibromin 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D019089:Stem Cell Factor / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D025542:Neurofibromin 1; D019089:Stem Cell Factor