Human mast cells express receptors for IL-3, IL-5 and GM-CSF; a partial map of receptors on human mast cells cultured in vitro.
BACKGROUND
Mast cells have long been recognized as the principal cell type that initiates the inflammatory response characteristic of acute allergic type 1 reactions. Our goal has been to further characterize maturation of progenitors to mast cells.


METHODS
Mast cells were cultured from human cord blood derived CD133(+) progenitors. Mast cell function was tested using histamine release. During differentiation mast cells surface marker expression was monitored by flow cytometry.


RESULTS
CD133(+) progenitors expressed the early haematopoietic and myeloid lineage markers CD34, CD117, CD13 and CD33. Mature mast cells expressed CD117, CD13 and CD33, and expression of the high affinity immunoglobulin E receptor FcepsilonRI increased during culture. Cytokine receptors interleukin (IL)-5R, IL-3R, granulocyte-macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF)R and IL-18R were expressed at high levels during maturation. Chemokine receptors CXCR4 and CXCR2 were highly expressed on both newly purified CD133(+) cells and mature cells.


CONCLUSIONS
Human mast cells can be cultured from a CD34(+)/CD117(+)/CD13(+)/CD33(+) progenitor cell population in cord blood that is tryptase and chymase negative. Developing and mature mast cells express a wide range of chemokine and cytokine receptors. We found high levels of expression of CD123, IL-5R and GM-CSF receptors, also found on eosinophils and basophils, and high levels of expression of the receptor for the inflammatory cytokine IL-18.
Dahl
C
C
Department of Paediatrics, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus N, Denmark.
Hoffmann
H J
HJ
Saito
H
H
Schiøtz
P O
PO
D000071916:AC133 Antigen; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005312:Fetal Blood; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D010455:Peptides / Q000276:immunology; D018121:Receptors, Cytokine / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D016187:Receptors, Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D016185:Receptors, Interleukin-3 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D053649:Receptors, Interleukin-5; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000276:immunology
D000071916:AC133 Antigen; D015703:Antigens, CD; D006023:Glycoproteins; C000606023:PROM1 protein, human; D010455:Peptides; D018121:Receptors, Cytokine; D016187:Receptors, Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin; D016185:Receptors, Interleukin-3; D053649:Receptors, Interleukin-5