Mast cells can enhance resistance to snake and honeybee venoms.
Snake or honeybee envenomation can cause substantial morbidity and mortality, and it has been proposed that the activation of mast cells by snake or insect venoms can contribute to these effects. We show, in contrast, that mast cells can significantly reduce snake-venom-induced pathology in mice, at least in part by releasing carboxypeptidase A and possibly other proteases, which can degrade venom components. Mast cells also significantly reduced the morbidity and mortality induced by honeybee venom. These findings identify a new biological function for mast cells in enhancing resistance to the morbidity and mortality induced by animal venoms.
Metz
Martin
M
Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5324, USA.
Piliponsky
Adrian M
AM
Chen
Ching-Cheng
CC
Lammel
Verena
V
Abrink
Magnus
M
Pejler
Gunnar
G
Tsai
Mindy
M
Galli
Stephen J
SJ
D000818:Animals; D001514:Bee Venoms / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000633:toxicity; D043422:Carboxypeptidases A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D015550:Cell Degranulation; D053818:Chymases; D003435:Crotalid Venoms / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity; D007035:Hypothermia / Q000209:etiology; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D010529:Peritoneal Cavity / Q000166:cytology; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism; D014757:Viper Venoms / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity
D001514:Bee Venoms; D003435:Crotalid Venoms; D010940:Plant Proteins; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D014757:Viper Venoms; C057354:sarafotoxins s6; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases; D043422:Carboxypeptidases A; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D053818:Chymases