title: Expression of antizyme inhibitor 2 in mast cells and role of polyamines as selective regulators of serotonin secretion.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Upon IgE-mediated activation, mast cells (MC) exocytose their cytoplasmic secretory granules and release a variety of bioactive substances that trigger inflammatory responses. Polyamines mediate numerous cellular and physiological functions. We report here that MCs express antizyme inhibitor 2 (AZIN2), an activator of polyamine biosynthesis, previously reported to be exclusively expressed in the brain and testis. We have investigated the intracellular localization of AZIN2 both in resting and activated MCs. In addition, we have examined the functional role of polyamines, downstream effectors of AZIN2, as potential regulators of MC activity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Immunostainings show that AZIN2 is expressed in primary and neoplastic human and rodent MCs. We demonstrate that AZIN2 localizes in the Vamp-8 positive, serotonin-containing subset of MC granules, but not in tryptase-containing granules, as revealed by double immunofluorescence stainings. Furthermore, activation of MCs induces rapid upregulation of AZIN2 expression and its redistribution, suggesting a role for AZIN2 in secretory granule exocytosis. We also demonstrate that release of serotonin from activated MCs is polyamine-dependent whereas release of histamine and beta-hexosaminidase is not, indicating a granule subtype-specific function for polyamines.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study reports for the first time the expression of AZIN2 outside the brain and testis, and demonstrates the intracellular localization of endogenous AZIN2 in MCs. The granule subtype-specific expression and its induction after MC activation suggest a role for AZIN2 as a local, in situ regulator of polyamine biosynthesis in association with serotonin-containing granules of MCs. Furthermore, our data indicates a novel function for polyamines as selective regulators of serotonin release from MCs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Haartman Institute, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Kristiina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kanerva
authors.forename: Jani
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lappalainen
authors.forename: Laura T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Mäkitie
authors.forename: Susanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Virolainen
authors.forename: Petri T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Kovanen
authors.forename: Leif C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Andersson
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015317:Biogenic Polyamines / Q000502:physiology*; D002262:Carboxy-Lyases; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D017931:DNA Primers; D006801:Humans; D007106:Immune Sera; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D051381:Rats; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015317:Biogenic Polyamines; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D017931:DNA Primers; D007106:Immune Sera; D012701:Serotonin; D002262:Carboxy-Lyases; C546395:AZIN2 protein, human