IgE alone promotes human lung mast cell survival through the autocrine production of IL-6.
BACKGROUND
Mast cells play a key role in asthma and recent evidence indicates that their ongoing activation in this disease is mediated, in part, via IgE in the absence of antigen. In this study we have examined whether IgE alone enhances human lung mast cell (HLMC) survival.


METHODS
Purified HLMC were cultured for 4 weeks and survival assays then performed over 10 days following cytokine withdrawal in the presence or absence of human myeloma IgE. Quantitative real time RT-PCR was carried out to examine IL-6 mRNA expression and IL-6 protein was measured in HLMC supernatants by ELISA.


RESULTS
IgE alone promoted the survival of HLMC in a dose-dependent manner following cytokine withdrawal. IgE-induced survival was eliminated with the addition of neutralising anti-IL-6 antibody but not by the addition of neutralising anti-stem cell factor. IgE sensitisation initiated profound upregulation of IL-6 mRNA in HLMC, and IL-6 concentrations were also raised in the culture supernatants of IgE-exposed cells.


CONCLUSIONS
These data taken together suggest that IgE in the absence of antigen promotes HLMC survival through the autocrine production of IL-6. This provides a further mechanism through which IL-6 and IgE contribute to the pathogenesis of asthma, and through which anti-IgE therapy might achieve its therapeutic effect.
Cruse
Glenn
G
Institute for Lung Health, Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Leicester and Warwick Medical School, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, LE1 9HN, UK. glenncruse@hotmail.com
Cockerill
Sarah
S
Bradding
Peter
P
D019898:Autocrine Communication; D052160:Benzothiazoles; D002469:Cell Separation; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003959:Diamines; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008168:Lung / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology*; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology*; D009691:Nucleic Acid Denaturation; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D011804:Quinolines; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013347:Subcellular Fractions; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D052160:Benzothiazoles; D003959:Diamines; D015850:Interleukin-6; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D011804:Quinolines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C098022:SYBR Green I; D007073:Immunoglobulin E