Dispersed Human Lung Mast Cells Research Articles

Response to C3a, mast cells, and asthma

This is in response to a “Letter to the Editor (1)” by Dr. Bradding regarding our manuscript entitled “Airway smooth muscle cells enhance C3a-induced mast cell degranulation following cell-cell contact” that was published in your journal recently (2). Dr. Bradding contends that our manuscript, which utilizes a C3a-responsive human mast cell line, is misleading because “it ignores wealth of consistent literature demonstrating that human lung mast cells and human lung fragments do not exhibit any response to C3a or C5a.” We disagree with this view for the reasons discussed below. Although studies performed in the 1980s and 1990s, showed that dispersed human lung mast cells are unresponsive to C3a and C5a (3–5), these studies did not characterize the expression of C3a receptor in mast cells and failed to consider the possibility that lung tissue may contain a subpopulation of mast cells that could be responsive to anaphylatoxins. Human mast cells (MC) consist of a mixture of at least two cell types that can be distinguished based on the protease content of their granules. It is well documented that MCTC cells (tryptaseand chymase-positive) that are found predominantly in the skin are responsive to C3a and C5a whereas MCT cells (tryptase positive) present in other tissues are unresponsive to these anaphylatoxins (6). The previous demonstration that dispersed lung mast cells did not respond to C3a or C5a probably reflects the fact that 90% of these cells are MCT cells (7). Indeed, a recent report by Oskeritzian et al. (8) showed that MCTC cells purified from a mixture of human lung mast cells are highly responsive to C5a for histamine release and leukotriene C4 generation, mediators that promote airway hyperreactivity. Most importantly, mast cells that infiltrate into the airway smooth muscle in asthma are positive for both tryptase and chymase (9). Given that MCTC cells are also responsive to C3a for mediator release (10, 11), we argue that a C3a responsive human mast cell line is an appropriate in vitro cellular model to delineate the signaling pathways involved in mast cell-airway smooth cell interaction relevant to asthma. REFERENCES

Functional characterization of human mast cells cultured from adult peripheral blood

Mast cells are important effector cells of allergy and techniques for culturing human mast cells have been developed in recent years. In the current investigation, we studied the phenotypic and functional characteristics of mast cells cultured from adult human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Mature human mast cells were obtained by first culturing mononuclear cells in methylcellulose containing stem cell factor (SCF), IL-3 and IL-6 for six weeks and subsequently in liquid medium containing SCF and IL-6 for another six weeks. These cells expressed numerous basophilic cytoplasmic granules that were predominantly tryptase positive but chymase negative. Following sensitization with human IgE, these cells released histamine and synthesized prostaglandin D 2 and cysteinyl-leukotrienes dose-dependently upon activation by anti-IgE and calcium ionophores. Compound 48/80 and substance P were ineffective. When the effects of anti-asthmatic agents on anti-IgE induced mediator release from these cells were compared, only the β 2-adrenoceptor agonists and phosphodiesterase inhibitors produced dose-dependent inhibition but not cromolyn. In total, mast cells cultured from human peripheral blood shared similar morphological, immunocytochemical and functional properties of enzymatically dispersed human lung mast cells. These cultured mast cells can be a convenient substitute for the in vitro studies of human lung mast cell reactions and may be useful for investigating the roles of mast cells in allergic diseases.

Role of protein kinase A in the inhibition of human mast cell histamine release by β-adrenergic receptor agonists

ABSTRACT Background Although β-adrenergic receptor agonists inhibit antigen-induced release of histamine, leukotrienes and prostaglandin D 2 from human lung fragments, dispersed human lung mast cells and human skin mast cells, subcellular mechanisms for the inhibition of histamine release by β-adrenergic receptor agonists are not well delineated. The aim of the present study was to investigate the inhibitory mechanisms of β-adrenergic receptor agonists for human mast cell histamine release using human cultured mast cells. Methods Human mast cells were obtained by culturing umbilical cord blood CD34 + cells in the presence of stem cell factor and interleukin-6. Cultured mast cells were sensitized with human myeloma IgE and stimulated with antihuman IgE. Results Stimulation of mast cells induced the elevation of intracellular cytosolic free Ca 2 + concentrations ([Ca 2 +] i ) and the translocation of protein kinase C (PKC) from the cytosol to the cell membrane, followed by the release of stored histamine. Isoproterenol, salbutamol and dibutyryl cAMP inhibited both the histamine release and PKC translocation, whereas they failed to affect the elevation of [Ca 2 +] i . H-89, a protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor, abrogated the inhibition. Conclusions The present results suggest that PKA activation induced by β-adrenergic receptor agonists plays a crucial role in inhibiting IgE-mediated histamine release from human cultured mast cells through suppressing PKC translocation.

Disialoganglioside GD3 is selectively expressed by developing and mature human mast cells

Background: Disialoganglioside GD3 is expressed on the surface of selected cell types. Anti-GD3 mAb administered to human subjects with malignant melanoma produces signs and symptoms of immediate hypersensitivity reactions. Objective: The expression of GD3 by human mast cells was assessed during mast cell development in vitro and in samples of lung and skin. Methods: GD3 on tissue- and in vitro–derived mast cells was analyzed after double labeling of cells for tryptase (G3 mAb) or Kit (YB5.B8 mAb) and GD3 (R24 mAb). Glycolipids in extracts of fetal liver–derived mast cells were examined by using high-performance thin-layer chromatography. Results: Flow cytometry showed that the percentage of GD3+ cells increased in parallel to Kit+ cells during the recombinant human stem cell factor–dependent development of fetal liver–derived mast cells. Double-labeling experiments showed that GD3+ cells were also surface Kit+ and granule tryptase positive, identifying them as mast cells in preparations of lung-, skin-, fetal liver–, and cord blood–derived cells. The major acidic glycolipid detected was NeuAcα2-8NeuAcα2-3Galβ1-4Glcβ1-1′Cer (GD3). Among peripheral blood leukocytes, only basophils and about 10% of the T cells were labeled with anti-GD3 mAb. Anti-GD3 mAb–conjugated magnetic beads were used to purify mast cells to greater than 90% purity from dispersed skin cells enriched to approximately 12% purity by means of density-dependent sedimentation but were less proficient for dispersed human lung mast cells, most likely because of other cell types that express GD3. Conclusion: GD3 is expressed on the surface of developing human mast cells in parallel to tryptase in secretory granules and, like Kit, can serve as a target for their enrichment by immunoaffinity techniques. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 2001;107:322-30.)

Effect of cytokines on mediator release from human dispersed lung mast cells.

To evaluate the contribution of human lung mast cells (HLMC) to allergic inflammation, we investigated whether or not cytokines, including stem-cell factor (SCF), monocyte chemotactic and activating factor (MCAF), and RANTES, activate HLMC. SCF induced histamine release from dispersed HLMC in a dose-dependent fashion (P < 0.01). The release was 7.8 +/- 1.0% at 500 ng/ml SCF (n = 9). This response was also observed in chopped lung tissue. HLMC from which surface IgE molecules had been removed by treatment with lactic acid responded to SCF, while these cells lost their response to anti-IgE. The process was relatively rapid and reached a maximum in 5 min. This response required extracellular calcium, and it was observed at 37 degrees C, but not at 4 degrees C or 20 degrees. A brief preincubation (10 min) with lower concentrations of SCF, which were ineffective in releasing histamine, enhanced anti-IgE-induced histamine release (P < 0.05), while its enhancing effect was lost by the longer preincubation (30 min). SCF did not prime basophils to enhance stimulated-histamine release. Interleukin (IL)-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-3, IL-4, IL-5, granulocyte/macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), MCAF, and RANTES neither induced histamine release nor enhanced the release stimulated by anti-IgE after a 10- or 30-min preincubation. The combination of IL-3 and IL-4 showed no effect on histamine release from HLMC. Leukotriene (LT)C4/D4/E4 production by SCF was negligible, as compared with anti-IgE-induced LT production.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

O-023 - Influence of histamine receptor agonists and antagonists on anaphylactic histamine release from rat peritoneal exudate cells and dispersed human lung mast cells

O-023 - Influence of histamine receptor agonists and antagonists on anaphylactic histamine release from rat peritoneal exudate cells and dispersed human lung mast cells

Histochemical heterogeneity of dispersed human lung mast cells.

Cytocentrifuge preparations of enzymatically dispersed human lung parenchymal mast cells were examined by light microscopy after fixation in either Mota's basic lead acetate or 10% neutral buffered formalin followed by toluidine blue staining at pH 0.5. Fixation in Mota's basic lead acetate allowed detection of all mast cells. However, after formalin fixation only 10.8 +/- 1.3%, range 4.7 to 17%, n = 8 remained detectable (i.e., formalin "resistant"). Therefore, the vast majority of human lung mast cells lose their metachromatic staining after formalin fixation (i.e., are formalin "sensitive"). Mast cells were then separated on the basis of diameter by countercurrent elutriation and on the basis of density by discontinuous Percoll gradients. Histochemically distinct populations of mast cell types emerged in all lungs studied. The proportion of formalin-resistant mast cells increased as a function of diameter: less than 5% at diameters of less than or equal to 11 mu and densities less than or equal to 1.063 g/ml, to 30 to 40% in cells of diameters greater than or equal to 16 mu and densities greater than or equal to 1.100 g/ml. Maximum anti-IgE challenge of nearly homogeneous formalin-sensitive mast cells (94.3 +/- 2.1% purity, n = 6) caused the generation of both leukotriene C4 (64.6 +/- 26.4 pg/mast cell) and PGD2 (114.8 +/- 37.5 pg/mast cell). Six- to eight-fold enrichment of formalin-resistant mast cells did not significantly alter the histamine release response or profiles of arachidonate metabolites. Similar results were obtained for the nonimmunologic stimulus ionophore A23187. We conclude that two histochemically distinct subpopulations, of mast cells are present in human lung suspensions. Although formalin-sensitive cells account for almost 90% of lung mast cells, formalin-resistant cells are separable by their large diameters and higher densities. Both subtypes show similar histamine release responses and arachidonate oxidation profiles.

The effect of serine esterase inhibitors on ionophore-induced histamine release from human pulmonary mast cells

The serine proteases tryptase and chymase are present in human pulmonary mast cells. About 10-100 times more tryptase than chymase is found in these cells. However, a clear physiological role for both enzymes remains to be elucidated; angiotensin processing has been proposed as one possible function of chymase. A dose-dependent inhibition of A23187-induced histamine release from dispersed human lung mast cells was observed after pretreatment with the serine protease inhibitor diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP) or the chymotrypsin-like enzyme inhibitor N-tosyl-L-phenylalanine chloromethylketone (TPCK) but not with the trypsin-like enzyme inhibitor N-tosyl-L-lysine chloromethylketone (TLCK). These results indicate that a chymase is probably an important factor in a late phase of human lung mast cell activation.

Demonstration of Inhibition of Mediator Release From Human Mast Cells by Azatadine Base

In vitro experimentation using dispersed human lung mast cells demonstrated that azatadine base, a compound with known H1-antihistamine properties, inhibited anti-IgE-induced release of histamine and leukotriene C4 by 45% and 85%, respectively. To assess the clinical relevance of these findings and to compare in vitro mast cell data with results obtained in vivo, nasally instilled azatadine was tested in a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial in which nasal challenges with antigen were performed on eight allergic individuals. Pretreatment with azatadine significantly suppressed the number of sneezes following antigen challenge and inhibited the associated elevations in histamine, kinins, and enzyme(s) hydrolyzing the artificial substrate N-alpha-tosyl-L-arginine-methyl-ester in nasal secretions, whereas placebo was inactive. Hence, we showed agreement between our in vitro and in vivo experimental models of the allergic reaction. Topical application of azatadine base has the potential to become an effective antiallergic treatment.

The function and properties of human lung mast cells.

Mast cells may be recovered from human subjects by bronchoalveolar lavage. Such bronchoalveolar mast cells will release histamine in response to IgE-dependent challenge in a reaction that is dose-, time- and energy-dependent. They possess functional characteristics distinct from dispersed human lung mast cells. The percentage of mast cells within the bronchoalveolar cell population is critically dependent upon the underlying pathology. Greater numbers of mast cells may be recovered from the bronchoalveolar compartment of extrinsic asthmatics than from controls. In addition, bronchoalveolar mast cells from asthmatic subjects show an increased releasability of histamine in response to anti-IgE. Antigen challenge also leads to the release of histamine in vitro, demonstrating the potential for the antigen-specific initiation of bronchoconstriction in these subjects. Spontaneous release of histamine from bronchoalveolar mast cells of asthmatic subjects was also greater than in controls (up to 46%), a feature which may be related to non-immunological mechanisms of bronchoconstriction. Such non-immunological mechanisms have been further investigated utilising mannitol as a model of hyperosmolar histamine release. Mannitol induced a dose-dependent release of histamine from bronchoalveolar mast cells of normal subjects, and this release was significantly inhibited by sodium cromoglycate. The leukotrienes are putative major mediators of human asthma. After challenge with anti-IgE in vitro, dose-dependent release of leukotriene C4 and prostaglandin D2 occurs from the bronchoalveolar cells of normal subjects. The release of PGD2 shows significant correlation with histamine release. Lying superficially, bronchoalveolar mast cells would be readily accessible to inhaled antigen. Mediator release from such cells may be relevant to the pathogenesis of asthma.

Adenosine inhibits and potentiates IgE-dependent histamine release from human lung mast cells by an A 2-purinoceptor mediated mechanism

Adenosine, at physiological concentrations, may modulate histamine release from mechanically dispersed human lung mast cells. Addition of adenosine to the dispersed mast cells at times up to 5 min before immunological challenge with anti-human IgE inhibited histamine release. When added after this time adenosine caused a small potentiation of immunological histamine release, maximum potentiation occurring with addition of adenosine 5 min after challenge, coincidental with the end of the rapid phase of histamine release. Both inhibition and potentiation of histamine release were more pronounced with low levels of immunological challenge. Theophylline, 8-phenyltheophylline, dipyridamole and analogues of adenosine were used to determine the site of action of adenosine on mast cell mediator release. Theophylline and 8-phenyltheophylline displaced the concentration-response lines for both inhibition and potentiation of mediator release by adenosine to the right whilst dipyridamole, 1 μM, was without significant effect. This suggests that both effects result from interaction of adenosine with cell surface receptors. This was confirmed by demonstrating that the P-site agonist 2',5'-dideoxyadenosine produced only inhibition of histamine release, an effect which was inhibited by dipyridamole but not by theophylline. The rank potency order of adenosine analogues, NECA ⪢ adenosine ⩾ L - PIA ⩾ D in both inhibiting and potentiating immunological histamine release suggests that both effects are mediated through activation of cell surface A 2-purinoceptors. Since adenosine is released into the circulation of asthmatic subjects following bronchial provocation with antigen, causes bronchoconstriction and has the ability to modulate mast cell histamine release, this nucleoside should be considered as an additional inflammatory mediator of allergic reactions.

The effect of methyltransferase inhibitors on histamine release from human dispersed lung mast cells activated with anti-human IgE and calcium ionophore A23187

Inhibitors of adenosylmethionine (AdoMet)-dependent methyltransferases reduce histamine release from enzymatically dispersed human lung mast cells activated with either anti-human IgE or calcium ionophore A23187. The ic 25 values for adenosine and 3-deazaadenosine (DZA) inhibiting anti-IgE-induced histamine release were 395 μM and 301 μM respectively. The addition of homocysteine thiolactone (Hcy) potentiated the effects of adenosine and DZA, reducing their ic 25 values to 32 μM and 10.5 μM respectively. The adenosine deaminase (adenosine aminohydrolase EC 3.5.4.4) inhibitors erythro-9-(2-hydroxy-3-nonyl)-adenine (EHNA) inhibited anti-IgE-induced histamine release with an ic 50 of 162 μM. This inhibition was not potentiated by Hcy. The combination of DZA and Hcy effectively inhibited histamine release induced by concentrations of A23187 which released a similar amount of histamine to anti-IgE. However the combination was 17 times less potent against A23187- compared with anti-IgE-induced release. These observations suggest that AdoMet-dependent methyltransferases play an important role in IgE-dependent histamine release from human lung mast cells but their role in A23187-induced release is less clear.

Characterization of histamine secretion from mechanically dispersed human lung mast cells: effects of anti-IgE, calcium ionophore A23187, compound 48/80, and basic polypeptides.

Characterization of histamine secretion from mechanically dispersed human lung mast cells: effects of anti-IgE, calcium ionophore A23187, compound 48/80, and basic polypeptides.

Acid hydrolases and tryptase from secretory granules of dispersed human lung mast cells.

beta-Hexosaminidase, beta-glucuronidase, arylsulfatase, and tryptase were each released along with histamine from dispersed purified human lung mast cells of 40 to 80% purity by rabbit IgG anti-human IgE. The net per cent release ratio of each enzyme to histamine was determined over all doses of antibody employed to activate the mast cells and over all time points after activation, and indicated the per cent of each enzyme stored in secretory granules along with histamine. By multiplying the net per cent release ratio of each enzyme to histamine by total enzyme content in a preparation of 10(6) mast cells, values for secretory granule content per 10(6) mast cells were found to be 3.8 U for beta-hexosaminidase, 0.03 U for beta-glucuronidase, 0.03 U for arylsulfatase, and 0.9 U for tryptase. Subtype analysis of beta-hexosaminidase by diethylaminoethyl- (DEAE) cellulose chromatography revealed that the B isomer predominates in human mast cell secretory granules, whereas the A isomer predominates in secretory granules of the rat mast cell. Tryptase, the predominant neutral protease of the human mast cell secretory granule, has a m.w. of 130,000 by gel filtration chromatography, whereas the major neutral protease of the rat mast cell is chymotryptic and of 25,000 m.w. The presence of acid hydrolases, a tryptase, and histamine in human mast cell secretory granules suggests that the activated mast cell plays a direct role in the production of acute and subacute inflammation.