Effects of IL-3 and SCF on Histamine Production Kinetics and Cell Phenotype in Rat Bone Marrow-derived Mast Cells.
BACKGROUND
Rat mast cells were regarded as a good model for mast cell function in immune response.


METHODS
Rat bone marrow mast cells (BMMC) were prepared both by recombinant rat IL-3 (rrIL-3) and by recombinant mouse stem cell factor (rmSCF), and investigated for both proliferation and differentiation in time course. Rat BMMC was induced by culture of rat bone marrow cells (BMCs) in the presence of both rrIL-3 (5 ng/ml) and rmSCF (5 ng/ml). Culture media were changed 2 times per week with the cell number condition of 5x10(4)/ml in 6 well plate. Proliferation was analyzed by cell number and cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and differentiation was by rat mast cell protease (RMCP) II and histamine.


RESULTS
Cell proliferation rates reached a maximum at 8 or 11 days of culture and decreased thereafter. However, both RMCP II production and histamine synthesis peaked after 11 days of culture. By real time RT-PCR, the level of histidine decarboxylase mRNA was more than 500 times higher on culture day 11 than on culture day 5. By transmission electron microscopy, the cells were heterogeneous in size and contained cytoplasmic granules. Using gated flow cytometry, we showed that cultured BMCs expressed high levels of FcepsilonRI and the mast cell antigen, ganglioside, on culture day 11.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that rat BMMCs were generated by culturing BMCs in the presence of rrIL-3 and rmSCF and that the BMMCs have the characteristics of mucosal mast cells.
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Korea University Graduate School, Seoul 136-705, Korea.
Haneul Nari
HN
Lee
Chul Hwan
CH
Kim
Gwan Gyu
GG
Song
Sung-Weon
SW
Cho
Bone marrow; IL-3; Mast cell; Rat; Stem cell factor