Techniques to study Fc epsilonRI signaling.
Mast cells are the crucial effector cells for allergic reactions. They are activated through the aggregation of the high-affinity immunoglobulin E (IgE) receptor (Fc epsilonRI) with allergen and allergen-specific IgE. Tyrosine phosphorylation of Fc epsilonRI subunits and various signaling proteins is an initial triggering event, leading to the activation of several signaling pathways in mast cells. Much has been learned from analysis of mast cells derived from gene-targeted mice. Therefore, in this chapter we will first describe how to generate mast cells from mouse bone marrow cells and how to correct the genetic defect by retroviral transduction. Then, we will describe how to assess early activation events by measuring several protein-tyrosine kinases and serine/threonine kinases such as protein kinase B (= Akt), protein kinase C, and JNK. As signal transduction is highly dependent on protein-protein interactions, we will describe experimental details of co-immunoprecipitation methods that are used to confirm such interactions.
Kawakami
Yuko
Y
Division of Cell Biology, La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, San Diego, CA, USA.
Kitaura
Jiro
J
Kawakami
Toshiaki
T
D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D021122:Protein Subunits / Q000378:metabolism*; D017455:Receptors, IgE / Q000378:metabolism*; D012190:Retroviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*
D021122:Protein Subunits; D017455:Receptors, IgE