Expression and function of CD8 alpha/beta chains on rat and human mast cells.
The expression and functional role of CD8 glycoprotein, a marker of cytotoxic/suppressor T lymphocytes and NK cells, were not studied on freshly isolated connective tissue type rat peritoneal mast cells, a rat mucosal type mast cell line (RBL 2H3), or human mast cell line (HMC-1). We used the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot analysis, immunohistochemistry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.


RESULTS
RT-PCR and Western blot analysis identified the presence of CD8 alpha/beta chains on the mast cells, and immunohistochemistry confirmed CD8alpha expression on rat or human mast cells. Functional studies demonstrated that stimulation of CD8 alpha/beta chains on rat mast cells induced the secretion of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), which are regarded as important mediators during infection. However, co-stimulation with stem cell factor had no effect on CD8-induced mediator secretion. Our findings demonstrate novel biological roles of CD8 molecules in mast cells.
Department of Pharmacology, College of Oriental Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Hoegi-Dong, Dongdaemun-Gu, Seoul, South Korea.
Mi-Sun
MS
Kim
Sung-Hoon
SH
Kim
Hye-Jung
HJ
Lee
Hyung-Min
HM
Kim
D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D002460:Cell Line; D019281:Dimerization; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013045:Species Specificity; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
D016827:CD8 Antigens; D015850:Interleukin-6; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha