Targeting mast cells in inflammatory diseases.
Although mast cells have long been known to play a critical role in anaphylaxis and other allergic diseases, they also participate in some innate immune responses and may even have some protective functions. Data from the study of mast cell-deficient mice have facilitated our understanding of some of the molecular mechanisms driving mast cell functions during both innate and adaptive immune responses. This review presents an overview of the biology of mast cells and their potential involvement in various inflammatory diseases. We then discuss some of the current pharmacological approaches used to target mast cells and their products in several diseases associated with mast cell activation.
Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA. Electronic address: lreber@stanford.edu.
Laurent L
LL
Reber
Laboratoire d'Innovation Thérapeutique, UMR 7200 CNRS-Université de Strasbourg, Faculté de Pharmacie, France.
Nelly
N
Frossard
D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D017455:Receptors, IgE / Q000502:physiology
D017455:Receptors, IgE
FcεRI; IgE; Mast cells; Stem cell factor (SCF); c-KIT