Extracellular ATP stimulates interleukin-dependent cultured mast cells and eosinophils through calcium mobilization.

We examined the effect of ATP and related nucleotides on the changes in intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i) in murine bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMC) and human cord blood-derived eosinophils (EO) cultured in the presence of interleukins. ATP, ADP and AMP released a substantial amount of histamine and leukotriene C4 from BMMC, and EO showed locomotive activity in response to ATP, ADP and GTP. These reactions were accompanied with an increase in [Ca2+]i in BMMC and in EO. The rise in [Ca2+]i in BMMC induced by ATP or antigen at optimal concentrations was inclined to be persisting. On the other hand, these nucleotides induced a rapid and transient rise in [Ca2+]i in EO. Purified human peripheral EO also exhibited locomotive activity and an increase in [Ca2+]i in response to ATP. These results indicate that extracellular ATP activates interleukin-dependent cultured mast cells and EO through Ca2+ mobilization, and suggest that ATP, which is known to be released from activated platelets or autonomic nerves, may stimulate in vivo counterparts of these cultured inflammatory cells.     

Distinct patterns of chemotactic peptide-induced calcium mobilization in differentiated myeloid leukemia cells and peripheral blood neutrophils.

Flow cytometry was used to compare intracellular calcium mobilization in mature neutrophilic granulocytes (PMN) with HL-60 promyelocytic leukemia cells induced to differentiate with dibutyryl cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (dbcAMP). Using the calcium-specific probe indo-1 acetoxymethyl ester, we found that the ability of differentiating HL-60 cells to mobilize calcium in response to N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP) developed concomitantly with expression of receptors on the cells for this peptide. Mobilization of calcium in HL-60 cells, as well as in PMN, in response to fMLP was dose dependent and was related to the presence of calcium in the culture medium. In calcium-free medium, tenfold higher concentrations of fMLP were required to induce calcium mobilization than in calcium-containing medium. In HL-60 cells, calcium mobilization occurred more rapidly than in PMN and was independent of extracellular calcium. Furthermore, the response of HL-60 cells to fMLP was more prolonged than the response of PMN and was also of greater magnitude. Calcium mobilization in both HL-60 cells and PMN was partially inhibited by the calcium channel blocker, verapamil, but completely blocked by trimethylbenzoic acid 8-(diethylamino) octyl ester, an intracellular calcium antagonist. These results indicate that although both cell types mobilize calcium in response to fMLP, the characteristics of the responses are distinct. These differences may underlie distinct functional responses of PMN and differentiated HL-60 cells to fMLP.     

Chronic treatment with P2-purinergic receptor agonists induces phenotypic modulation of the HL-60 and U937 human myelogenous leukemia cell lines.

In previous studies we have demonstrated that extracellular ATP (and UTP), acting through P2-purinergic receptors, can stimulate the inositol phospholipid signaling system in neutrophils and monocytes, as well as in neutrophil/monocyte progenitor cells. In this study we have examined the ability of extracellular nucleotides to modulate the phenotype of myelomonocytic progenitor cells. As model systems, we utilized the established HL-60 promyelocytic and U937 promonocytic human cell lines which were cultured in the continuous presence of nucleotides known to be potent agonists for P2-purinergic receptors. When cultured for 5 days with ATP gamma S (a phosphatase resistant analog of ATP) plus 10% fetal bovine serum, both HL-60 cells and U937 cells expressed several (but not all) phenotypic characteristics of differentiated phagocytes. In HL-60 cells these characteristics were (1) increased intracellular calcium mobilization in response to formylated chemotactic peptides, (2) a reduction in cell size with a decreased nuclear/cytoplasmic ratio, (3) a sharply reduced rate of proliferation, (4) a reduction in the percentage of cells expressing surface transferrin receptors, and (5) an increase in the percentage of cells expressing the type 1 complement receptor (CR1). In U937 cells these characteristics were (1) increased intracellular calcium mobilization in response to formylated chemotactic peptides and platelet activating factor, (2) a reduced rate of proliferation, (3) a reduction in the percentage of cells expressing surface transferrin receptors, and (4) increases in the percentage of cells expressing both type 1 (CR1) and type 3 (CR3) complement receptors. During the first 12-24 hr after exposure to ATP gamma S, HL-60 cells showed no obvious changes in morphology, viability, or the levels of beta-actin mRNA, but did show (1) a 4-fold increase in chemotactic peptide-induced Ca2+ mobilization, and (2) a greater than 90% decrease in c-myc mRNA levels. Significantly, when HL-60 cells were treated under serum-free conditions, the ability of ATP to enhance expression of functional FMLP receptors could be dissociated from the inhibitory effects of adenine nucleotides on cell proliferation observed in serum containing media. Moreover, treatment of serum-free HL-60 cultures with UTP, another P2-purinergic receptor agonist, also resulted in enhanced expression of functional FMLP receptors.     

Calcium pools involved in histamine release from rat mast cells

Basic secretagogues, antigen, concanavalin A, the ionophore A23187 and, to a lesser extent, anti-rat IgE produce a significant release of histamine from rat peritoneal mast cells in the absence of extracellular calcium. This release is due to the mobilization of intracellular reservoirs of calcium. The release is abolished by prolonged exposure to chelating agents, but is potentiated by brief exposure to these substances. It is suggested that the latter treatment removes calcium from a superficial, regulatory site and thus facilitates the mobilization of more internal pools of the ion. By analogy with smooth muscle, these regulatory sites may also modulate calcium influx into the cell. On the basis of these and other results, the possible calcium pools important in histamine secretion are discussed.     

Buffy coat preparation is a convenient source of progenitors for culturing mature human mast cells

Mast cells are unique immune cells that release a spectrum of chemical mediators contributing to the inflammatory symptoms of allergic disorders. Mature mast cells have recently been cultured from CD34(+) progenitors isolated from fresh umbilical cord blood and adult peripheral blood. In the current study, we investigated whether buffy coat preparations, which are readily available from blood banks, could be used as a convenient and more abundant source of progenitors for culturing human mast cells. We were able to culture a homogeneous population of human mast cells from progenitor cells isolated from human buffy coat. Morphologically, our cultured mast cells contained abundant cytoplasmic granules which stained positively using antibodies against human mast cell tryptase and, to a lesser extent, with those against human mast cell chymase. Functionally, these cultured mast cells responded to anti-human-IgE by releasing histamine in a dose-dependent manner after sensitization with human IgE. Taken together, buffy coat preparations can be a convenient source for culturing human mast cells which are predominantly tryptase positive only and express functional high-affinity IgE receptors.     

A comparison of the histamine-releasing properties of rat pleural and peritoneal mast cells.

A comparison has been made of the histamine-releasing characteristics of rat mast cells of pleural and peritoneal origin in response to a wide variety of immunological and non-immunological stimuli, namely, IgE antibody-antigen interaction; rabbit anti-rat antibody; concanvalin A (Con A); ACTH (1-24) polypeptide (Synacthen); a decapeptide comprising an amino acid sequence (497-506) within the human gamma-chain (Stanworth, Kings, Roy, Moran & Moran, 1979); adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and the calcium ionophore. This has provided valuable information about the relative responsiveness of target cells from two different sources within the same species. Pertioneal cells proved to be more responsive to basic polypeptide liberators, whereas pleural cells were considerably more responsive to stimuli mediated through IgE antibody, and slightly more responsive to challenge with non-immunological liberators. Interestingly, the histamine-release studies using an antiserum raised against mast cell IgE receptors have indicated that pleural mast cell membranes contain a higher density of IgE receptors than peritoneal mast cell membranes. Moreover, it was established that the amount of histamine release from either peritoneal or pleural mast cells effected by the polypeptide liberators was not influenced by the prior occupancy of the mast cell Fc receptors by rat IgE antibody.     

H2O2 impairs inflammatory mediator release from immunologically stimulated RBL-2H3 cells through a redox-sensitive, calcium-dependent mechanism

OBJECTIVES: In this study we examined the effects of the inflammatory agent hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) on IgE-mediated mast cell responses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Release of preformed granular mediators and newly synthesised TNF-alpha were measured in the RBL-2H3 mast cell line stimulated through IgE receptors (FcepsilonRI) in the presence of varying concentrations of H2O2. The sensitivity of the intracellular calcium response to H2O2 exposure was investigated. RESULTS: We found that H2O2 treatment impaired the release of preformed and newly synthesised mediators. H2O2 treatment simultaneously led to a profound inhibition of the calcium response. Calcium fluxes from both intra- and extracellular sources were impaired. H2O2 action was dependent on the intracellular redox state. Receptor activation directly stimulated intracellular H2O2 production. CONCLUSION: While in many cells H2O2 induces potent inflammatory responses we show that it can be an anti-inflammatory agent by not only inhibiting the release of preformed mediators but also by affecting the secretion of newly synthesized TNF-alpha. Inhibition is a consequence of the profound effect on intracellular calcium levels. The activation of an intracellular oxidative burst by FcepsilonRI aggregation and the sensitivity of intracellular responses to redox-altering agents point to an important regulatory mechanism of mast cell responses in inflammatory tissues.     

Immature peritoneal mast cells in neonatal rats express the CTMC phenotype, as well as functional IgE receptors.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the differentiation and maturation of mast cells and the expression of IgE receptors on their surface in neonatal animals in vivo. Another aim was to clarify whether connective tissue mast cells (CTMC) undergo a maturation process involving a transdifferentiation from mucosal mast cells (MMC) during this period of time. Mast-cell phenotypes were studied in terms of the profiles of proteinases and proteoglycan. In 1-week-old rats, the mast-cell granules stained with Alcian blue rather than with safranin (AB+/S-) in the Alcian blue/safranin staining sequence, normally regarded as a property of MMC. However, the AB+/S-stained proteoglycan was degradable by nitrous acid and stained with berberine sulphate, thus indicating that it contained heparin rather than chondroitin sulphate. The mast cells expressed rat mast-cell proteinase (RMCP) I rather than RMCP II, which is normally found in MMC. The mast cells of 1-week-old rats expressed functional IgE receptors, by showing a dose-dependent IgE-mediated histamine release of mast cells. About 70% of the IgE receptors on the mast cells were occupied by IgE. In 2- to 3-week-old rats, there was a progressive increase in mast cells stained with both Alcian blue and safranin or with safranin alone, i.e. they gradually changed towards the staining properties of CTMC (AB-/S+). The expression and the degree of IgE occupancy of the receptors increased in 1- to 3-week-old animals. This was paralleled by an increment in cell size and in the content of heparin, histamine and serotonin in the mast cells. The findings thus indicate that the peritoneal mast cells of neonatal rats express the CTMC phenotype and undergo a maturation process at from 1 to 3 weeks of age, without involving a transdifferentiation from MMC. The maturation of the mast cells is accompanied by an increase in the expression of functional IgE receptors on the cell surface. production was detectable as early as in 1-week-old rats.     

T-cell-independent and T-cell-dependent IgE responses to the nematode Nippostrongylus brasiliensis: comparison of serum IgE and mast-cell-bound IgE.

The IgE immune response was studied in female athymic, nude (Lewis rnu/rnu) and euthymic (Lewis +/+) rats infected with the nematode Nippostrongylus brasiliensis. During the course of the infection, serum IgE levels were followed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique (ELISA), while the surface expression and occupancy of IgE receptors on peritoneal mast cells were quantified using flow cytometry after immunolabelling with anti-IgE. The results show that the up-regulation of IgE receptors, which takes place on the mast cells of both athymic and normal rats during the early phase of the immune response, is more pronounced and longer-lasting in normal rats than in athymic ones, thereby suggesting that T cells are necessary for a full response to the parasite infection. The increased IgE occupancy observed on the mast cells during the early phase of the parasite immune response was not reflected in the serum IgE levels, which remained low during the entire infection period in athymic rats. In euthymic rats, on the other hand, there was a pronounced increase in serum IgE, as well as an increase in IgE occupancy on the mast cells, all reaching a peak level after 2 weeks of infection. However, there was no significant correlation between the serum IgE concentration and IgE occupancy or the density of IgE receptors on the mast cells of the individual euthymic rats. This indicates that the quantification of IgE occupancy on the mast cells may be a better way of detecting low-level IgE responses than the measurement of serum IgE. These findings, which were obtained in female Lewis rats, when compared with our previous findings in male rats of the same strain, suggest that sex differences may exist in terms of the intensity and duration of the IgE immune response to the parasite infection.     

Cultured human bone marrow-derived mast cells, their similarities to cultured murine E-mast cells

Homogeneous populations of human mast cells were differentiated and grown by culturing bone marrow cells in the presence of conditioned medium derived from lectin-stimulated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The cells obtained were similar in ultrastructure, proteoglycan type and lipid products generated upon calcium ionophore A23187, and immunological activation to the murine E-mast cells (E-MC) differentiated in culture containing IL-3. Fluorescence analysis revealed that the human E-MC expressed IgE-Fc receptors which retained bound IgE through several washes. These cells did not express cell-surface lymphoid determinants (T11, T4, T8 and B4) and myeloid determinants 'My'. However, 40% of these cells expressed monocytic surface determinants, such as M-1. The amount of histamine that was found per 10(6) cells was 525 +/- 106 ng (mean +/- SE, n = 4). These cultured mast cells possessed granular chondroitin sulphate E proteoglycan of about 180,000 MW. Following activation with either calcium ionophore A23187 or anti-hIgE challenge, these mast cells released their preformed mediators and generated mainly leukotriene C4 leukotriene B4, and platelet-activating factor. In conclusion, according to all of these criteria, these human cultured mast cells show many similarities to the murine cultured E-mast cells, and therefore could be considered as the culture analogue of the human intestinal E-mast cells identified recently.     

Regulation of IgE-receptor expression, IgE occupancy and secretory capacity of mast cells

Mast cells play an important role in initiating and modulating allergic and inflammatory reactions. Their responsiveness is determined by three important factors: the expression of IgE receptors on the cell surface, the IgE occupancy of these receptors, and the intrinsic secretory capacity of the cells. In this review, we will summarise some findings relevant to these three aspects of mast cell function, and discuss possible regulatory mechanisms. It appears that the genetic background as well as environmental factors influence all three of these components of the response. T cells appear to play an important role in regulating the IgE-receptor expression and also, independently, the intrinsic secretory capacity of mast cells via an unidentified route, possibly involving the secretory signal transduction chain directly. IgE itself appears to have an important role in the regulation of IgE-receptor expression, as indicated by the upregulation of receptors in vitro in the presence of IgE, and the absence of IgE-binding capacity of mast cells in IL-4 gene knockout mice, lacking IgE production. The IgE-receptors of mast cells are saturated to a high degree under different normal conditions, without an obvious relation to antigenic stimulation, also in athymic animals. We have suggested that this basal IgE content on mast cells may be the result of an antigen-independent production of IgE directed by the mast cells themselves and serving regulatory purposes, modifying the secretory response and preventing a massive possibly harmful degranulation.     

The lack of competition between two unrelated IgE antibodies in in vivo sensitization of mouse mast cells

The relation between IgE antibodies of different specificity in in vivo sensitization of mouse mast cells were studied. In the system of active immunization with EA and KLH mixed with Al(OH)3 no inhibition of an IgE and IgGl response to one antigen by simultaneous administration of other antigen was observed. The lack of inhibition was reflected in serum anti-EA and anti-KLH antibody levels as well as in mast cell sensitization expressed in antigen-induced histamine release. Furthermore, we were unable to detect an inhibitory effect of active immunization of mice with EA on in vivo passive sensitization of peritoneal mast cells. These observations indicated that in such a system immunization actively produced IgE antibodies do not saturate mast cell IgE receptors and do not inhibit subsequent sensitization of these cells with IgE antibodies of another specificity.     

Simulation of parasite-induced gut hypersensitivity: implications for vaccination.

Antigenic challenge of jejunum from rats infected with Trichinella spiralis evokes a biphasic pattern of epithelial Cl- secretion, as measured in vitro by electrophysiological methods. Peaks of secretion occur at approximately 1.5 and approximately 5.0 min post-challenge. Challenge of jejunum from hosts passively immunized with serum containing anti-Trichinella anaphylactic antibody evokes the late phase but not the early phase of Cl- secretion. Since the early phase is mediated by 5-hydroxytryptamine and histamine from mast cells, we hypothesized that the failure to express that phase was due to a decrease in mast cell-derived mediators secondary to a deficiency in mucosal mast cell numbers. The hypothesis was tested by correlating mast cell numbers with patterns of antigen-induced Cl- secretion using several immunization regimes. Rats actively immunized by infection produced anti-Trichinella IgE and had a mucosal mastocytosis. Rats passively sensitized with serum containing anti-Trichinella IgE had normal numbers of mast cells in their mucosa. Inducing mastocytosis in rats, by infecting them with Nippostrongylus brasiliensis prior to passive sensitization with anti-Trichinella serum, primed for the expression of a biphasic Cl- secretory response upon subsequent challenge with Trichinella antigen. Rats actively sensitized by injection with Trichinella antigen elicited an IgE response without mastocytosis and expressed only the late phase of antigen-induced Cl- secretion. Results (i) support our hypothesis, (ii) emphasize the importance of the cellular state of the mucosa in the functional expression of local anaphylaxis; and (iii) provide a physiological explanation for the general failure of vaccination and passive sensitization to induce functional immunity equivalent to that induced by natural infection.