Modulation of immunoglobulin (Ig)E-mediated systemic anaphylaxis by low-affinity Fc receptors for IgG.

It is widely accepted that immunoglobulin (Ig)E triggers immediate hypersensitivity responses by activating a cognate high-affinity receptor, FcepsilonRI, leading to mast cell degranulation with release of vasoactive and proinflammatory mediators. This apparent specificity, however, is complicated by the ability of IgE to bind with low affinity to Fc receptors for IgG, FcgammaRII and III. We have addressed the in vivo significance of this interaction by studying IgE-mediated passive systemic anaphylaxis in FcgammaR-deficient mice. Mice deficient in the inhibitory receptor for IgG, FcgammaRIIB, display enhanced IgE-mediated anaphylactic responses, whereas mice deficient in an IgG activation receptor, FcgammaRIII, display a corresponding attenuation of IgE-mediated responses. Thus, in addition to modulating IgG-triggered hypersensitivity responses, FcgammaRII and III on mast cells are potent regulators of IgE-mediated responses and reveal the existence of a regulatory pathway for IgE triggering of effector cells through IgG Fc receptors that could contribute to the etiology of the atopic response.     

Fc receptor-mediated inhibition of murine B-lymphocyte activation

Immobilized antigen-antibody complexes are able to inhibit the mitogenic response of murine spleen cells to the B-cell mitogen 8-bromo-3',5'-cyclic guanosine monophosphoric acid. This this inhibition is dependent on intact Fc fragments in the immobilized complexes. Soluble complexes do not mediate this inhibition. When lipopolysaccharide (lps) activation of B cells was studied, it was found that the mitogenic response was inhibited at all times tested between 2 and 7 days of culture. Also, the LPS-induced mitogenesis of nude spleen cells was inhibited by immobilized complexes, indicating that suppressor T cells probably play no significant role in the inhibition. Immobilized complexes inhibit polyclonal antibody responses in a serum-free system and in the presence of normal mouse serum, but are unable to inhibit in the presence of fetal calf serum (FCS). If nu/nu spleen cells are used, however, the FCS does not block the ability of the complexes to inhibit the polyclonal response. It is suggested that that antigen-antibody complexes under appropriate conditions may bind to B lymphocytes via their Fc receptors and trigger a central "off" signal which blocks proliferation and consequently antibody production.     

Regulation of polymorphonuclear cell activation by thrombopoietin.

Thrombopoietin (TPO) regulates early and late stages of platelet formation as well as platelet activation. TPO exerts its effects by binding to the receptor, encoded by the protooncogene c-mpl, that is expressed in a large number of cells of hematopoietic origin. In this study, we evaluated the expression of c-Mpl and the effects of TPO on human polymorphonuclear cells (PMN). We demonstrate that PMN express the TPO receptor c-Mpl and that TPO induces STAT1 tyrosine phosphorylation and the formation of a serum inducible element complex containing STAT1. The analysis of biological effects of TPO on PMN demonstrated that TPO, at concentrations of 1-10 ng/ml, primes the response of PMN to n-formyl-met-leu-phe (FMLP) by inducing an early oxidative burst. TPO-induced priming on FMLP-stimulated PMN was also detected on the tyrosine phosphorylation of a protein with a molecular mass of approximately 28 kD. Moreover, we demonstrated that TPO by itself was able to stimulate, at doses ranging from 0.05 to 10 ng/ml, early release and delayed synthesis of interleukin 8 (IL-8). Thus, our data indicate that, in addition to sustaining megakaryocytopoiesis, TPO may have an important role in regulating PMN activation.     

Potent mast cell degranulation and vascular permeability triggered by urocortin through activation of corticotropin-releasing hormone receptors

Urocortin (Ucn) is related to corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), and both are released in the brain under stress where they stimulate CRH 1 and 2 receptors (CRHR). Outside the brain, they may have proinflammatory actions through activation of mast cells, which are located perivascularly close to nerve endings and degranulate in response to acute psychological stress. Here, we report that a concentration of intradermal Ucn as low as 10 nM induced dose-dependent rat skin mast cell degranulation and increased vascular permeability. This effect appeared to be equipotent to that of calcitonin gene-related peptide and neurotensin. Ucn-induced skin vasodilation was inhibited by pretreatment with the mast cell stabilizer disodium cromoglycate (cromolyn) and was absent in the mast cell-deficient W/Wv mice. The selective nonpeptide CRH receptor 1 antagonist, antalarmin and the nonselective peptide antagonist astressin both reduced vascular permeability triggered by Ucn but not that by Substance P or histamine. In contrast, the peptide antagonist alpha-helical CRH-(9-41) reduced the effect of all three. The vasodilatory effect of Ucn was largely inhibited by pretreatment with H1 receptor antagonists, suggesting that histamine is the major mediator involved in vitro. Neuropeptide depletion of sensory neurons, treatment with the ganglionic blocker hexamethonium, or in situ skin infiltration with the local anesthetic lidocaine did not affect Ucn-induced vascular permeability, indicating that its in situ effect was not mediated through the peripheral nervous system. These results indicate that Ucn is one of the most potent triggers of rat mast cell degranulation and skin vascular permeability. This effect of Ucn may explain stress-induced disorders, such as atopic dermatitis or psoriasis, and may lead to new forms of treatment.     

Stimulation of connective tissue-type mast cell proliferation by crosslinking of cell-bound IgE

Crosslinking of cell-bound IgE on mouse connective tissue-type mast cells (CTMC) by multivalent antigen or anti-IgE antibody induced clonal growth of CTMC in methylcellulose culture containing IL-3. Continuous presence of antigen, IgE antibody, and IL-3 in culture was required for extensive proliferation of CTMC. Optimal concentrations of antigen and anti-IgE antibody for proliferation of sensitized CTMC approximately corresponded to those for maximal histamine release from the cells, and it was observed that most dividing cells stimulated by antigen had pericellular degranulation halos in culture. Experiments of both single cell culture and serum free culture provided evidence for a direct effect of antigen stimulation on proliferation of CTMC. Neither accessory cells nor some factors in FCS were required for the clonal growth of CTMC in our culture condition. Compound 48/80, a direct stimulator of CTMC, also triggered histamine release from CTMC but failed to support their proliferation. These results suggest that stimulation of CTMC via IgE receptors not only triggers the release of chemical mediators from the cells but induces clonal growth of CTMC in the presence of IL-3. Our data indicate the possibility that antigen stimulation may play another role in the proliferation of CTMC.     

Synovial procollagenase activation by human mast cell tryptase dependence upon matrix metalloproteinase 3 activation.

Mast cells have been implicated in the pathogenesis of the matrix degradation observed in the cartilaginous and osseous structures of the rheumatoid joint. We previously reported that human mast cell tryptase, a 134-kD granule-associated neutral protease, is present in rheumatoid synovium and can activate collagenase in crude culture medium in vitro. the present study attempts to depict the precise mechanism of this activation. To express full activation of latent collagenase, matrix metalloproteinase 3 (MMP-3) or stromelysin, can be activated by tryptase in a time and dose-dependent manner. Tryptase was not capable of generating active collagenase in the crude media from cultured rheumatoid synoviocytes depleted of proMMP-3 by immunoadsorption. In addition, the function of the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP) was not altered by tryptase, and SDS-PAGE analysis revealed no degradation of TIMP by tryptase. The tryptase dependent activation of synoviocyte procollagenase thereby appears to be entirely dependent upon its ability to activate proMMP-3.     

Cis binding between inhibitory receptors and MHC class I can regulate mast cell activation

Allergy is caused by immune effector cells, including mast cells and basophils. Cellular signaling that activates these effector cells is regulated by different inhibitory receptors on their surface. We show that human leukocyte immunoglobulin (Ig)-like receptor (LILR) B2 and its mouse orthologue, paired Ig-like receptor (PIR)-B, constitutively associate to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I on the same cell surface (in cis). The IgE-mediated effector responses were augmented in beta(2)-microglobulin (beta(2)m) and PIR-B-deficient mast cells. In addition, the increased cytokine production of beta(2)m-deficient mast cells was not affected by the co-culture with MHC class I-positive mast cells, showing that less cis interaction between PIR-B and MHC class I on mast cells led to the increased cytokine release. Thus, the constitutive cis binding between LILRB2 or PIR-B and MHC class I has an essential role in regulating allergic responses.     

Regulation of peripheral T cell activation by calreticulin

Regulated expression of positive and negative regulatory factors controls the extent and duration of T cell adaptive immune response preserving the organism's integrity. Calreticulin (CRT) is a major Ca2+ buffering chaperone in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum. Here we investigated the impact of CRT deficiency on T cell function in immunodeficient mice reconstituted with fetal liver crt-/- hemopoietic progenitors. These chimeric mice displayed severe immunopathological traits, which correlated with a lower threshold of T cell receptor (TCR) activation and exaggerated peripheral T cell response to antigen with enhanced secretion of inflammatory cytokines. In crt-/- T cells TCR stimulation induced pulsatile cytosolic elevations of Ca2+ concentration and protracted accumulation of nuclear factor of activated T cells in the nucleus as well as sustained activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways. These observations support the hypothesis that CRT-dependent shaping of Ca2+ signaling critically contributes to the modulation of the T cell adaptive immune response.     

Sensitization and activation of intracranial meningeal nociceptors by mast cell mediators

Intracranial headaches such as migraine are thought to result from activation of sensory trigeminal pain neurons that supply intracranial blood vessels and the meninges, also known as meningeal nociceptors. Although the mechanism underlying the triggering of such activation is not completely understood, our previous work indicates that the local activation of the inflammatory dural mast cells can provoke a persistent sensitization of meningeal nociceptors. Given the potential importance of mast cells to the pain of migraine it is important to understand which mast cell-derived mediators interact with meningeal nociceptors to promote their activation and sensitization. In the present study, we have used in vivo electrophysiological single-unit recording of meningeal nociceptors in the trigeminal ganglion of anesthetized rats to examine the effect of a number of mast cell mediators on the activity level and mechanosensitivity of meningeal nociceptors. We have found that that serotonin (5-HT), prostaglandin I(2) (PGI(2)), and to a lesser extent histamine can promote a robust sensitization and activation of meningeal nociceptors, whereas the inflammatory eicosanoids PGD(2) and leukotriene C(4) are largely ineffective. We propose that dural mast cells could promote headache by releasing 5-HT, PGI(2), and histamine.     

Inhibition of IgE-mediated mast cell activation by the paired Ig-like receptor PIR-B

The potential of the paired Ig-like receptors of activating (PIR-A) and inhibitory (PIR-B) types for modifying an IgE antibody-mediated allergic response was evaluated in mouse bone marrow-derived mast cells. Although mast cells produced both PIR-A and PIR-B, PIR-B was found to be preferentially expressed on the cell surface, where it was constitutively tyrosine phosphorylated and associated with intracellular SHP-1 protein tyrosine phosphatase. PIR-B coligation with the IgE receptor (FcepsilonRI) inhibited IgE-mediated mast cell activation and release of serotonin. Surprisingly, the inhibitory activity of PIR-B was unimpaired in SHP-1-deficient mast cells. A third functional tyrosine-based inhibitory motif, one that fails to bind the SHP-1, SHP-2, and SHIP phosphatases, was identified in parallel studies of FcepsilonRI-bearing rat basophilic leukemia (RBL) cells transfected with constructs having mutations in the PIR-B cytoplasmic region. These results define the preferential expression of the PIR-B molecules on mast cells and an inhibitory potential that can be mediated via a SHP-1-independent pathway.     

Short-term desensitization of muscarinic cholinergic receptors in mouse neuroblastoma cells: selective loss of agonist low-affinity and pirenzepine high-affinity binding sites

The effects of brief incubation with carbamylcholine on subsequent binding of [3H]N-methylscopolamine were investigated in mouse neuroblastoma cells (clone N1E-115). This treatment demonstrated that the muscarinic receptors in this neuronal clone can be divided into two types; one which is readily susceptible to regulation by receptor agonists, whereas the other is resistant in this regard. In control cells, both pirenzepine and carbamylcholine interacted with high- and low-affinity subsets of muscarinic receptors. Computer-assisted analysis of the competition between pirenzepine and carbamylcholine with [3H]N-methylscopolamine showed that the receptor sites remaining upon desensitization are composed mainly of pirenzepine low-affinity and agonist high-affinity binding sites. Furthermore, there was an excellent correlation between the ability of various muscarinic receptor agonists to induce a decrease in consequent [3H]N-methylscopolamine binding and their efficacy in stimulating cyclic GMP synthesis in these cells. Thus, only the agonists that are known to recognize the receptor's low-affinity conformation in order to elicit increases in cyclic GMP levels were capable of diminishing ligand binding. Taken together, our present results suggest that the receptor population that is sensitive to regulation by agonists includes both the pirenzepine high-affinity and the agonist low-affinity receptor binding states. In addition, the sensitivity of these receptor subsets to rapid regulation by agonists further implicates their involvement in desensitization of muscarinic receptor-mediated cyclic GMP formation.     

Paired activating and inhibitory immunoglobulin-like receptors,MAIR-I and MAIR-II,regulate mast cell and macrophage activation

Immune responses are regulated by opposing positive and negative signals triggered by the interaction of activating and inhibitory cell surface receptors with their ligands. Here, we describe novel paired activating and inhibitory immunoglobulin-like receptors, designated myeloid-associated immunoglobulin-like receptor (MAIR) I and MAIR-II, whose extracellular domains are highly conserved by each other. MAIR-I, expressed on the majority of myeloid cells, including macrophages, granulocytes, mast cells, and dendritic cells, contains the tyrosine-based sorting motif and the immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif-like sequences in the cytoplasmic domain and mediates endocytosis of the receptor and inhibition of IgE-mediated degranulation from mast cells. On the other hand, MAIR-II, expressed on subsets of peritoneal macrophages and B cells, associates with the immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif-bearing adaptor DAP12 and stimulates proinflammatory cytokines and chemokine secretions from macrophages. Thus, MAIR-I and MAIR-II play important regulatory roles in cell signaling and immune responses.     

Induction of murine autoimmune disease by chronic polyclonal B cell activation

In vivo, prolonged polyclonal activation of B cells by the nonantigenic but potent mitogenic lipid A portion of lipopolysaccharide (LPS-R595) resulted in acceleration of the late life systemic lupus erythematosus disease of female MRL/n, BXSB, and NZW mice, mimicking the time, form, and histopathological features characteristic of their early life disease counterparts, i.e., MRL/l females, BXSB males, and (NZB X NZW)F1 females. Similar polyclonal B cell activation of "immunologically normal" mice has less effect and led to a limited expression of autoimmune disease. This R595-induced autoimmunity and immune complex-mediated disease seemed to be the direct result of activation of the immune system and not from other effects of endotoxin since C3H/HeJ, a strain lacking lymphocyte receptors for LPS-R595, had neither serological nor histological evidence of autoimmune disease despite identical treatment.     

Antigen specific receptors on murine B cell lineage. 2. Different effect of rosette-forming cell depletion on IgM and IgG antibody forming cell precursors in primary and secondary response

Spleen cells from unprimed mice or those primed with horse red blood cells (HRBC) were depleted of rosette-forming cells (RFC) with HRBC by the Ficoll-Hypaque density sedimentation, and the cells were examined in the adoptive transfer system whether they could raise IgM or IgG antibody-forming cells (AFC) after an immunization with HRBC. When spleen cells were pooled from unprimed mice, the response to HRBC of those depleted of RFC with HRBC (HRBC-RFC) was decreased to about a half in both IgM and IgG AFC. On the other hand, when spleen cells were from mice primed with HRBC, the response to HRBC of those depleted of HRBC-RFC was decreased dramatically to 1/20 of that of original cells in IgG AFC, but it was decreased to about a half in IgM AFC. In the time course of the response to HRBC of RFC-depleted spleen cells from mice primed with HRBC, an early IgG response was abolished but the late one was as high as that of untreated spleen cells. These results suggest that the depletion of RFC is most effective on the depletion of direct precursors of the secondary IgG AFC.     

Inosine binds to A3 adenosine receptors and stimulates mast cell degranulation.

We investigated the mechanism by which inosine, a metabolite of adenosine that accumulates to > 1 mM levels in ischemic tissues, triggers mast cell degranulation. Inosine was found to do the following: (a) compete for [125I]N6-aminobenzyladenosine binding to recombinant rat A3 adenosine receptors (A3AR) with an IC50 of 25+/-6 microM; (b) not bind to A1 or A2A ARs; (c) bind to newly identified A3ARs in guinea pig lung (IC50 = 15+/-4 microM); (d) lower cyclic AMP in HEK-293 cells expressing rat A3ARs (ED50 = 12+/-5 microM); (e) stimulate RBL-2H3 rat mast-like cell degranulation (ED50 = 2.3+/-0.9 microM); and (f) cause mast cell-dependent constriction of hamster cheek pouch arterioles that is attenuated by A3AR blockade. Inosine differs from adenosine in not activating A2AARs that dilate vascular smooth muscle and inhibit mast cell degranulation. The A3 selectivity of inosine may explain why it elicits a monophasic arteriolar constrictor response distinct from the multiphasic dilator/constrictor response to adenosine. Nucleoside accumulation and an increase in the ratio of inosine to adenosine may provide a physiologic stimulus for mast cell degranulation in ischemic or inflamed tissues.