Lipoteichoic acid improves the capability of mast cells in the host defense system against bacteria.
OBJECTIVE
We investigated the effects of microbial components on the uptake of microbes by mast cells (MCs), and studied the change in cytokine production in MCs after bacterial uptake.


METHODS
LAD2 human mast cells, cord-blood and peripheral-blood derived MCs were employed to analyze their surface molecule expression and cytokine generation by flow cytometry. Bacterial internalization in these MCs was observed by confocal microscopy and flow cytometry.


RESULTS
Complement receptor 3 expression was augmented by LTA but not by PGN or 3CpG-oligodeoxynucleotide. LTA also enhanced the uptake of opsonized bacteria (over twofold augmentation). After bacterial uptake, MCs augmented the production of chemoattractant cytokines for neutrophils, while Th1 and Th2 cytokine production showed little or no change.


CONCLUSIONS
LTA increases the capability of the MC as a sentinel in the host immune response, and some bacterial components direct human MC function towards innate immunity after pathogen infection.
Imajo
Naoki
N
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokushima Bunri University, Tokushima, Tokushima, Japan.
Kurihara
Daisuke
D
Fukuishi
Nobuyuki
N
Inukai
Asumi
A
Matsushita
Shinobu
S
Noda
Shingo
S
Toyoda
Mako
M
Yoshioka
Mino
M
Teruya
Hayato
H
Nishii
Yumiko
Y
Matsui
Nobuaki
N
Akagi
Masaaki
M
D000818:Animals; D039481:CD11b Antigen / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018925:Chemokines / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology; D004705:Endocytosis / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016177:Macrophage-1 Antigen / Q000276:immunology; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D010457:Peptidoglycan / Q000276:immunology; D017452:Receptors, IgG / Q000276:immunology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000378:metabolism*; D013682:Teichoic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051195:Toll-Like Receptor 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D051217:Toll-Like Receptor 9 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
D039481:CD11b Antigen; D018925:Chemokines; D016207:Cytokines; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D016177:Macrophage-1 Antigen; D010457:Peptidoglycan; D017452:Receptors, IgG; C495342:TLR2 protein, human; C495371:TLR9 protein, human; D013682:Teichoic Acids; D051195:Toll-Like Receptor 2; D051217:Toll-Like Receptor 9; C009900:lipoteichoic acid