RATIONALE: Interleukin-33 (IL-33) appears to play a crucial role in the pathophysiology of allergic diseases, but its cell source and the regulatory mechanisms remain to be fully elucidated. Mast cells, one of the major effector cell populations, express high levels of IL-33 receptor, ST2, and have been shown to express IL-33 transcripts. In this study, we aimed to examine the secretion of IL-33 in mast cells and their response to IL-33. METHODS: The level of the IL-33 gene expression was analyzed by real time PCR. The expression of ST2, cytosolic IL-33 protein and its levels of secretion in the supernatants from mouse bone marrow derived mast cells (BMMCs) as a model were measured by the use of Flow cytometry, Western blotting and cell-based ELISA, respectively. BMMCs were treated with rm IL-33, and the resulting production levels of IL-6 and IL-13 were examined by ELISA. RESULTS: Exposure of BMMCs to IL-33 significantly increased the levels of IL-13 and IL-6 expression, concomitant with enhanced activation of ERK. Activation of BMMCs by cross-linkage of an antigen (ovalbumin, OVA) and OVA-specific IgE MAbs significantly induced the expression of IL-33 gene expression, cytosolic and secreted IL-33. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that mouse BMMCs are capable of producing IL-33, and that IL-33 plays an important role in regulating mast cell functions.
Date:
2012-02
Relation:
Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 2012 Feb;129(2 Suppl):AB121.
