Blood, Vol. 92 No. 3 (August 1), 1998:
pp. 1055-1061
Stem Cell Factor Influences Mast Cell Mediator Release in
Response to Eosinophil-Derived Granule Major Basic Protein
Glenn T. Furuta,
Steven J. Ackerman,
Lei Lu,
Rachel E. Williams, and
Barry K. Wershil
From The Combined Program in Pediatric Gastroenterology and
Nutrition, The Children's Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital,
and the Division of Experimental Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess
Medical Center, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; and the
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of
Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL.
Stem cell factor (SCF) is an important mast cell growth,
differentiation, and survival factor. We investigated whether SCF influenced the response of mouse mast cells to an IgE-independent stimulus, eosinophil-derived granule major basic protein (MBP). Mouse
bone marrow cultured mast cells (BMCMC) were derived in either
concanavalin-stimulated mouse spleen conditioned medium (CM) or SCF.
The cloned growth, factor-independent mast cell line Cl.MC/C57.1 was
also studied. BMCMC in SCF exhibited cytochemical staining properties,
protease and histamine content, and increased serotonin uptake
consistent with more mature differentiated mast cells as compared with
BMCMC in CM or Cl.MC/ C57.1 cells. BMCMC in SCF released serotonin,
14C-labeled arachidonic acid metabolites and tumor necrosis
factor-
(TNF-) on stimulation with MBP, while no response was
seen from either BMCMC in CM or Cl.MC/C57.1 cells. All three mast cell
populations released mediators on stimulation with the cationic MBP
analog, poly-L-arginine, indicating that the cationic charge did not
explain the selective response of BMCMC in SCF to eosinophil-derived
granule MBP. These findings show that SCF significantly influences mast cell differentiation and the responsiveness of mast cells to
eosinophil-derived granule MBP.
© 1998 by The American Society of Hematology.
