Further characterization of surface membrane structures expressed on human basophils and mast cells

Recently, we were able to establish the immunologic surface marker profile of human basophils and mast cells. In the present study, the characterization of these cell types was extended by the use of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to hemopoietic differentiation antigens. Basophils and mast cells were enriched by mAbs and complement from chronic myeloid leukemia blood (n = 5) and dispersed lung tissue (n = 4), respectively. A panel of 80 mAbs was tested for being reactive with purified cell populations using flow cytometry and/or a combined toluidine blue-immunofluorescence staining procedure. In addition to previous findings, basophils were found to react with mAbs directed against the 126-kilodalton dipeptidylpeptidase IV (CD26), platelet glycoprotein IIa (CD31), CD40 antigen known to share sequence homology with nerve growth factor receptor, leukosialin (CD43), CD44 antigen, the ICAM-1 antigen (CD54) and VIM2-reactive gangliosides involving the sialofucooligosaccharide sequence (CDw65L). Bsp-1 was found to be a specific marker for human basophils, whereas mast cells were not stained by this reagent. Basophils apparently lack CD22 antigen, gangliosides detected by CDw65 mAbs (except CDw65L) and CD71 antigen (transferrin receptor). Mast cells were found to express CD43 and CD44 antigen. In contrast, mast cells lack CD22, CD26, CD31, CD40 and CDw65 antigen. These results provide further evidence that both blood basophils and mast cells express a unique immunologic surface marker profile including binding sites for a variety of immunomodulating ligands and adhesion molecules.     

A bispecific antibody against human IgE and human FcgammaRII that inhibits antigen-induced histamine release by human mast cells and basophils

BACKGROUND: FcgammaRIIB are low-affinity immunoglobulin (Ig)G receptors that we previously demonstrated to negatively regulate IgE-induced mast cell activation when coaggregated with FcepsilonRI. Here, we engineered and characterized a bispecific reagent capable of coaggregating FcgammaRIIB with FcepsilonRI on human mast cells and basophils. METHODS: A bispecific antibody was constructed by chemically crosslinking one Fab' fragment against human IgE and one Fab' fragment against human FcgammaRII. This molecule was used to coaggregate FcepsilonRI with FcgammaRII on human mast cells and basophils sensitized with human IgE antibodies, and the effect of coaggregation was examined on mediator release upon challenge with specific antigen. RESULTS: When used under these conditions, this bispecific antibody not only failed to trigger the release of histamine by IgE-sensitized cells, but it also prevented specific antigen from triggering histamine release. Comparable inhibitions were observed with mast cells and basophils derived in vitro from cord blood cells and with peripheral blood basophils. CONCLUSIONS: The bispecific antibody described here is the prototype of similar molecules that could be used in new therapeutic approaches of allergic diseases based on the coaggregation of activating receptors, such as FcepsilonRI, with inhibitory receptors, such as FcgammaRIIB, that are constitutively expressed by mast cells and basophils.     

Characteristics of histamine release from cultured human mast cells

Background The mtist cell is one of the important cells In the pathogenesis of allergic disorders. However, isolating human mast cells is a laborious procedure. Recently, cultured human mast cells raised from umbilical cord blood cells have become available. It is necessary to examine whether these cells are useful in investigating the role of mast cells in human diseases. Objective The phenotype of mast cells depends on their anatomical sites. To examine which phetiotype of mast cells these cultured mast cells most closely resemble, their ability to release was investigated. Methods The mast cells were raised from human umbilical cord blood cells in the presence of stem cell factor and interIeukin-6. To determine the mast cell subtypes, the mast cells were immunocytochemically stained for tryptase and chymase. The cultured mast cells were then stimulated with various secretagogues, and histamine release was measured by a fluorometric technique using high-performance liquid chromatography. Results The immunocytochemical staining for mast cell proteases revealed that virtually all cells contained tryptase, the definitive marker of mast cells, and that about a quarter of the cells contained chymase. Anti-TgE effectively stimulated these mast cells to release histamine in a dose-dependent, lime-dependent manner. The release was completed in about 30 min. One of the non-specific stimuli, calcium ionophore A23I87. also induced histamine release in a dose-dependent, time-dependent manner. In contrast, compound 48/80 and substance P failed to induce histamine release from these cells. Conclusion Cultured human mast cells resemble lung mast cells in their ability to release histamine. They will help in studying the functional properties of human mast cells and may contribute to clarifying the pathophysiology of human allergic diseases.     

A dominant role for FcgammaRII in antibody-enhanced dengue virus infection of human mast cells and associated CCL5 release

Dengue virus is a major mosquito-borne human pathogen with four known serotypes. The presence of antidengue virus antibodies in the serum of individuals prior to dengue virus infection is believed to be an important risk factor for severe dengue virus disease as a result of the phenomenon of antibody-dependent enhancement operating on Fc receptor (FcR)-bearing cells. In addition to blood monocytes, mast cells are susceptible to antibody-enhanced dengue virus infection, producing a number of inflammatory mediators including IL-1, IL-6, and CCL5. Using the human mast cell-like lines KU812 and HMC-1 as well as primary cultures of human cord blood-derived mast cells (CBMC), we aimed to identify the participating FcRs in antibody-enhanced mast cell dengue virus infection, as FcRs represent a potential site for therapeutic intervention. CBMC expressed significant levels of FcgammaRI, FcgammaRII, and FcgammaRIII, and mast cell-like HMC-1 and KU812 cells expressed predominantly FcgammaRII. All four serotypes of dengue virus showed antibody-enhanced binding to KU812 cells. Specific FcgammaRII blockade with mAb IV.3 was found to significantly abrogate dengue virus binding to KU812 cells and CBMC in the presence of dengue-specific antibody. Dengue virus infection and the production of CCL5 by KU812 cells were also inhibited by FcgammaRII blockade.     

Some characteristics of mast cells cultured from human umbilical cord blood

Inflammation Research -     

Expression of adhesion molecules on cord-blood-derived, cultured human mast cells and effect of dexamethasone on intercellular adhesion molecule-1 expression on the mast cells treated by phorbol myristate acetate

BACKGROUND: Increase in mast-cell number at sites of allergic inflammation has been observed, and glucocorticoids applied to the sites have been shown to result in a significant reduction in mast cells. However, the expression of adhesion molecules on cultured human mast cells and their regulation by glucocorticoids is poorly understood. METHODS: Cultured human mast cells were raised from human umbilical cord-blood cells, and the expression of adhesion molecules on the mast cells was analyzed by flow cytometry. The cells were also incubated with 10 ng/ml phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) for the indicated time, and the effect of dexamethasone on adhesion molecule expression on PMA-treated, cultured human mast cells was examined. RESULTS: Cord-blood-derived, cultured human mast cells constitutively expressed intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), very late antigen-4 (VLA-4), and macrophage-1 antigen (Mac-1). Weak expression of lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1) was observed on the cells, whereas they failed to express vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1). Kinetic studies showed that after a transient downregulation reaching a minimum at 8 h, the expression of ICAM-1 was markedly upregulated on PMA-treated mast cells after a 24-h incubation. In contrast, the expression of VLA-4 and Mac-1 was decreased after the incubation with PMA for 24 h. The PMA-induced upregulation of ICAM-1 was inhibited by dexamethasone in a concentration-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that cord-blood-derived, cultured human mast cells constitutively express integrins and ICAM-1, but not VCAM-1, and demonstrate for the first time that dexamethasone inhibits the upregulation of ICAM-1 on PMA-treated, cultured human mast cells.     

Regulatory roles for FcgammaRIII (CD16) and FcgammaRII (CD32) in the development of T- and B-lineage lymphoid cells

IgG Fc receptors (FcgammaR) occur on all hematopoietic lineages and participate in a diversity of functions that reflect the combined effects of the molecular heterogeneity of FcgammaR and the inherent specialization of the FcgammaR+ cells. An extensive literature describes the functions of FcgammaR on mature myeloid and lymphoid cells in humans and mice but little has been published about FcgammaR on lineage progenitor cells. Several studies suggest that FcgammaR can influence leukocyte development and that FcgammaRII (CD32) and FcgammaRIII (CD16) can regulate murine T- and B-lineage development at stages before the expression of clonal antigen receptors. The nominal ligand of FcgammaR is IgG and the physiologically relevant ligand is the IgG-antigen complex, but it is also known that alternative, non-Ig ligands exist for Fc receptors. A role for FcgammaR in the regulation of leukocyte development has potential relevance for clinical situations in which the levels of nominal and/or alternative ligands of FcgammaR are elevated, or the production of soluble forms of FcgammaR is increased.     

FcepsilonRI-mediated amphiregulin production by human mast cells increases mucin gene expression in epithelial cells

BACKGROUND: Topical application of a glucocorticoid is now widely recognized as the first-line therapy for bronchial asthma. However, glucocorticoid treatment is largely ineffective in relation to overproduction of sputum and lung tissue remodeling. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the current study was to identify human mast cell (MC) products that are related to goblet cell hyperplasia. METHODS: The FcepsilonRI-mediated gene expression profile of MCs was examined by using high-density oligonucleotide probe arrays and RT-PCR. Secretion of a protein, amphiregulin, by the MCs was measured by ELISA. Upregulation of mucin genes in NCI-H292 cells by amphiregulin was evaluated by real-time RT-PCR. The expression levels of amphiregulin on histological sections obtained from 40 subjects with asthma and 6 healthy control subjects were estimated by immunohistochemical staining, and the correlation with the number of goblet cells was studied. RESULTS: Amphiregulin was secreted by human MCs after aggregation of FcepsilonRI, and its expression was not inhibited by a glucocorticoid (dexamethasone). Amphiregulin upregulated mucin gene expression in airway epithelial cells. Upregulation of amphiregulin expression was observed in MCs of patients with asthma, but not normal control subjects. Furthermore, upregulation of amphiregulin in MCs significantly correlated with the extent of goblet cell hyperplasia in the mucosa of patients with bronchial asthma. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that after exposure to antigens, human MCs may induce sputum production via release of amphiregulin. Therefore, amphiregulin may be a new target molecule for treatment of overproduction of sputum in bronchial asthma.     

Mediators of human mast cells and human mast cell subsets

Although a great deal has been learned about the mediators produced by mast cells, the ultimate biologic function(s) of mast cell remains a mystery. Histamine, LTC4, PAF, and possibly tryptase (C3a generation) all enhance vasopermeability. Mediators with anticoagulant activities such as heparin and tryptase (fibrinogenolysis) and antithrombotic activity, PGD2, would appear to facilitate dispersion in tissues of the plasma ultrafiltrate brought there by the subgroup of mediators that enhance vasopermeability. In contrast, PAF causes platelet aggregation and chymase may cause arteriolar vasoconstriction (decreasing the volume of plasma reaching venules) by generation of angiotensin II. Assessment of any differential production of mediators by different types of mast cells will be of obvious importance in sorting out the physiologic responses to mast cell activation as well as the pathophysiology of allergic reactions.     

Interleukin-2 receptor expression in human mast cells and basophils

Surgical human thymus, upper respiratory tract, lung and small and large bowel specimens were analyzed for the presence of interleukin 2 receptor (IL2-R)-positive cells. Histochemical (toluidine) and immunologic (anti-IL2-R monoclonal antibody) staining procedures revealed a distinct anti-IL2-R positivity in most of metachromatically staining cells. These positive cells were observed not only in tissues showing strong inflammatory reaction and mast cell hyperplasia, as in Crohn's disease, but also in those not histologically affected by pathologic conditions. This finding suggested that human mast cells, like T blast cells, express the p55 chain of IL2-R on their surface. To see whether IL2-R was being actively synthesized, a cell preparation rich in peripheral blood basophils (PBB), which are cells closely related to mast cells, was obtained. Ultrastructural analysis of PBB after indirect immunogold procedure revealed that the vast majority expressed the IL2-R. Moreover, the presence of intracellular reaction products in the cytoplasm of most membrane-positive PBB was indicative of active antigen synthesis. Furthermore, Northern blot analysis evidenced specific IL2-R mRNA in PBB, while its expression was augmented several times when PBB were cultured in the presence of stimulated T cell supernatant.     

High-affinity IgE receptor-beta chain expression in human mast cells

The high-affinity IgE receptor (FcepsilonRI)-beta gene is one of the atopy-associated genes, but its biological significance is largely unknown. In this study, we generated the anti-FcepsilonRI-beta chain antibody to clarify beta-chain protein expression in human mast cells. The FcepsilonRI-beta antibody showed specific binding to a 27 kDa protein with Western blotting and membrane bound immunostaining using cultured mast cells. Monomeric IgE sensitization increased beta-chain expression as well as mature alpha-chain expression in mast cells. Upregulation of beta-chain expression with monomeric IgE treatment suggests possible roles of FcepsilonRI-beta protein as an atopy-related molecule.     

Factor-independent tissue cultured mast cells: establishment from rat peritoneal mast cells

We report here that extended culture of purified rat peritoneal mast cells (RpMC), typical of the connective tissue-type (CTMC), gives rise to continuously proliferative cell lines without the requirement of exogenous growth factors such as IL-3 and IL-4 or accessory cells. Two of the cell lines established, RCMC1 and RCMC2, are described here. Both cell lines have been maintained in continuous culture in vitro for over a year. Although these cell lines were derived from CTMC, they exhibit phenotypic characteristics of mucosal-type mast cells, i.e., they contain rat mast cell protease II (RMCP II), low levels of histamine and stain alcian blue+/safranin-. Previous studies have identified both high and low affinity receptors for IgE, designated Fc epsilon RI and Rc epsilon RII, respectively, on RpMC and rat basophilic leukemia (RBL) cells. At the early stages of cell culture, RCMC1 expressed predominantly Fc epsilon RI and a gradual increase in the expression of Fc epsilon RII has been observed with time in culture. By comparison, RCMC2 expressed predominantly Fc epsilon RII throughout its entire period of cell culture.     

Further characterization of proteins assembled by vesicular stomatitis virus from human tumor cells

Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), when reproduced in human tumor cell lines, assembled a specific subset of cell-derived proteins. These were detected by [³⁵S]methionine labeling of cells prior to infection and subsequent immunoprecipitation of VSV grown in these cells, as well as by direct immunoprecipitation of labeled cell extracts with antiserum directed against the VSV-assembled proteins. Their molecular weight (M_r) ranged between 15K and 180K; the larger proteins were glycosylated. Two of the major protein species (gp88 and gp130) were common to all four cell lines used (HeLa—cervical carcinoma, T47D—breast carcinoma, and HMB2 and SK1477—two melanoma cell lines). Proteins of other molecular weights were detected only in one or two of the cell lines. The melanoma cell lines (even in the absence of VSV) shed large particulate material which had contained the same spectrum of proteins that were assembled by VSV. The major protein component had an M_r of 30K. Some of the VSV-assembled proteins might possibly serve as specific tumor markers. It is also conceivable that the proteins assembled by VSV as well as the large particulate material might be products of defective endogenous human retroviruses.     

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.     

Fine structure of healthy human gingival mast cells and their immunological characterization

Despite the great number of studies on mast cell population, at the present time few are the studies regarding the structural aspects of mast cells in human gingiva. In order to identify and characterize gingival mast cells, specimens of healthy human gingival tissue have been studied. Subsequently, in order to test mast cell capability of express TNF-alfa, samples of healthy gingiva with antibody anti-TNF-alfa have been incubated. The results showed that in human gingiva mast cells are numerous and ubiquitarious. These cells exhibit several morphological types of cytoplasmic granules with characteristic subgranular content, varying in shape and density. This allows to divide gingival mast cells into two different subpopulations: either cells containing granules with compact coiled scrolls and/or particles and cells showing granules with scrolls and thin parallel bands. The two ultrastructural aspects observed seem to be correlated to the McT (mast cells containing tryptase) and McTC (mast cells containing tryptase and chymase) described in international literature, differing for ultrastructural aspect, biochemical content and response to secretagogue substances. The positivity of the reaction for TNF-alfa seems indeed to confirm that gingival mast cells are able to secrete sensible amounts of TNF-alfa.     

Functional characterization of histamine H4 receptor on human mast cells

Among the four different types of histamine receptors (H1-H4), H4R is predominantly expressed in immune cells and involved in immunomodulatory response. Here, in this study we determined the expression of H4R in human mast cells (HMC-1, LAD-2 and primary cord blood derived CD34+ human mast cells) and characterized its functional properties. Interestingly, we found that human mast cells responded to both histamine (natural ligand) and 4-methylhistamine (selective H4R agonist) for sustained intracellular calcium mobilization, degranulation and cytokine production. However, only histamine induced the release of cAMP, but 4-methylhistamine down regulates cAMP indicating that H4R mediates its effect through Gαi/o protein and H1R via Gαq protein. Furthermore, both histamine and 4-methylhistamine induced the production of cysteinyl leukotrienes and LTB4. Using human inflammation antibody array membrane, we found that H4R induced the expression of various inflammatory proteins, involving pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines and these are TGF-β1, TNF-α, TNF-β, PDGF-BB, TIMP-2, M-CSF, IP-10, IL-16, IL-6, IL-3, IL-10, MIP-1α, IL-1α, ICAM-1, Eotaxin-2, RANTES, IL-8, MCP-1, and IL-6sR. We also quantified the level of various inflammatory cytokines produced by human mast cells through H4R. It was observed that, the production level of Th2 cytokines IL-4(401.34 pg/ml), IL-5 (64.21 pg/ml) and IL-13 (1044 pg/ml) and classical proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 (221.27 pg/ml) and IL-1β (34.24 pg/ml) and chemokines MCP-1(106 pg/ml) and IL-8 (818.32 pg/ml). Furthermore, activation of H4R caused the phosphorylation of ERK and PI3 K in a time dependent manner. Taken together these data demonstrate that, the activation of H4R in human mast cells produced not only inflammatory mediators that are associated with allergic reactions but also other inflammatory conditions.