title: Mast cells modulate pulmonary acute inflammation and host defense in a murine model of tuberculosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mast cells (MCs) participate in host resistance to several pathogens, but little is known about the role played by MCs in Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Compound 48/80 (C48/80)-treated mice and nontreated mice were infected intratracheally with 1 x 10(5) viable M. tuberculosis bacilli (MTB; strain H37Rv).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Infected BALB/c mice developed an acute pulmonary inflammation and had higher levels of tumor necrosis factor- alpha , interleukin-1, keratinocyte-derived chemokine, monocyte chemotactic protein-1, and macrophage inflammatory protein-2 in the lungs by day 15. In vivo degranulation of MCs by C48/80 led to a reduction in the inflammatory reaction that was associated with a marked decline in lung proinflammatory cytokine and chemokine levels. The magnitude of the cellular immune response was also partially impaired in infected mice treated with C48/80. The number of Mycobacteria bacilli recovered from the lungs of infected mice treated with C48/80 was 1 log higher than that recovered from untreated infected mice. C48/80 treatment attenuated the granulomatous inflammation in the lung parenchyma seen in untreated MTB-infected mice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that MCs participate in host defense against M. tuberculosis infection through the production and secretion of cytokines and chemokines that play a role in the recruitment and activation of inflammatory cells in this experimental model.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Análises Clínicas, Toxicológicas, e Bromatologicas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Carlos
authors.forename: Devandir Antonio
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: de Souza Júnior
authors.forename: Lúcia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: de Paula
authors.forename: Maria Célia
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Jamur
authors.forename: Constance
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Oliver
authors.forename: Simone Gusmão
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: Célio Lopes
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Lúcia Helena
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Faccioli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006099:Granuloma; D007249:Inflammation / Q000473:pathology*; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D008168:Lung / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology*; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000276:immunology*; D003189:p-Methoxy-N-methylphenethylamine / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D003189:p-Methoxy-N-methylphenethylamine