Mast cell-nerve fiber interaction: Ultrastructural studies

Author(s):  
E.Y. Chi ◽  
M.L. Su ◽  
Y.T. Tien ◽  
W.R. Henderson

Recent attention has been directed to the interaction of the nerve and immune systems. The neuropeptide substance P, a tachykinnin which is a neurotransmitter in the central and peripheral nervous systems produces tissue swelling, augemntation of intersitial fibrin deposition and leukocyte infiltration after intracutaneous injection. There is a direct correlation reported between the extent of mast cell degranulation at the sites of injection and the tissue swelling or granulocyte infiltration. It has previously been demonstrated that antidromic electrical stimulation of sensory nerves induces degranulation of cutaneous mast cells, cutaneous vasodilation and augmented vascular permeability. Morphological studies have documented a close anatiomical association between mast cells and nonmyelinated nerves, that contain substance P and other neuropeptides. However, the presence of mast cells within nerve fasicles has not been previously examined ultrastructurally. In this study, we examined ultrastructurally the distribution of mast cells in the nerve fiber bundles located in the muscular connective tissue of rat tongues (n=20).

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-24
Author(s):  
Patricia M. Vargas ◽  
Elia Martino ◽  
Teresa H. Fogal ◽  
Carlos E. Tonn ◽  
Alicia B. Penissi

Los mastocitos son células del tejido conectivo que participan en la génesis y modulación de las respuestas inflamatorias. Previamente hemos demos-trado que xanthatina (xanthanólido sesquiterpeno aislado de Xanthium cavanillesii Schouw) inhibe la activación de mastocitos inducida por secretagogos experimentales. Sin embargo, se desconoce su efecto sobre la activación de mastocitos inducida por estímulos fisiopatológicos. Estos estímulos incluyen, entre otros, los neuropéptidos pro-inflamatorios sustancia P y neurotensina, responsables de una de las principales vías de inflamación neurogénica. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue estudiar el efecto de xanthatina sobre la activación de mastocitos inducida por sustancia P y neurotensina. Mastocitos peritoneales de rata se incubaron con: 1) PBS (basal); 2) sustancia P (100 µm); 3) neurotensina (50 µm); 4) xanthatina (8-320 µm)+sustancia P; 5) xanthatina (8-320 µm)+neurotensina. Se llevaron a cabo los siguientes estudios: análisis dosis-respuesta de la liberación de serotonina inducida por neuropéptidos proinflamatorios, vitalidad celular, morfología mastocitaria por microscopía óptica y electrónica, análisis de estabilidad de xanthatina por cromatografía en capa fina. Los ensayos de liberación de serotonina y los estudios morfológicos mostraron la efectividad de xanthatina para estabilizar mastocitos. El presente estudio provee la primer evidencia a favor de la hipótesis de que xanthatina inhibe la liberación de serotonina inducida por sustancia P y neurotensina a partir de mastocitos peritoneales. Este sesquiterpeno podría representar una nueva alternativa fármacológica en la regulación de la activación mastocitaria para el tratamiento de las inflamaciones neurogénicas. Mast cells are connective tissue cells involved in the genesis and modulation of inflammatory responses. We have previously shown that xanthatin (xanthanolide sesquiterpene isolated from Xanthium cavanillesii Schouw) inhibits mast cell activation induced by experimental secretagogues. However, the effect of xanthatin on mast cell activation induced by pathophysiological stimuli remains unknown. These stimuli include, among others, the pro-inflammatory neuropeptide substance P and neurotensin, responsible for one of the main pathways of neurogenic inflammation. The present study was designed to examine the effects of xanthatin on mast cell activation induced by pro-inflammatory peptides, such as substance P and neurotensin. Rat peritoneal mast cells were incubated with: 1) PBS (basal); 2) substance P (100 µm); 3) neurotensin (50 µm); 4) xanthatin (8-320 µm)+substance P; 5) xanthatin (8-320 µm)+neurotensin. Concentration-response studies of mast cell serotonin release evoked by pro-inflammatory neuropeptides, evaluation of mast cell viability and morphology by light and electron microscopy, and drug stability analysis by thin layer chromatography were performed. Serotonin release studies, carried out together with morphological studies, showed the effectiveness of xanthatin to stabilize mast cells. The present study provides the first strong evidence in favour of the hypothesis that xanthatin inhibits substance P - and neurotensin-induced serotonin release from peritoneal mast cells. Our findings may provide an insight into the design of novel pharmacological agents which may be used to regulate the mast cell response in neurogenic inflammation.


2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (40) ◽  
pp. E9381-E9390 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra Taracanova ◽  
Irene Tsilioni ◽  
Pio Conti ◽  
Errol R. Norwitz ◽  
Susan E. Leeman ◽  
...  

Mast cells are critical for allergic and inflammatory responses in which the peptide substance P (SP) and the cytokine IL-33 are involved. SP (0.01–1 μM) administered together with IL-33 (30 ng/mL) to human cultured LAD2 mast cells stimulates a marked increase (P< 0.0001) in secretion of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-1β. Preincubation of LAD2 (30 min) with the SP receptor (NK-1) antagonists L-733,060 (10 μM) or CP-96345 (10 µM) inhibits (P< 0.001) secretion of IL-1β stimulated by either SP (1 μM) or SP together with IL-33 (30 ng/mL). Surprisingly, secretion of IL-1β stimulated by IL-33 is inhibited (P< 0.001) by each NK-1 antagonist. Preincubation with an antibody against the IL-33 receptor ST2 inhibits (P< 0.0001) secretion of IL-1β stimulated either by IL-33 or together with SP. The combination of SP (1 μM) with IL-33 (30 ng/mL) increases IL-1β gene expression by 90-fold in LAD2 cells and by 200-fold in primary cultured mast cells from human umbilical cord blood. The combination of SP and IL-33 increases intracellular levels of IL-1β in LAD2 by 100-fold and gene expression of IL-1β and procaspase-1 by fivefold and pro-IL-1β by twofold. Active caspase-1 is present even in unstimulated cells and is detected extracellularly. Preincubation of LAD2 cells with the natural flavonoid methoxyluteolin (1–100 mM) inhibits (P< 0.0001) secretion and gene expression of IL-1β, procaspase-1, and pro-IL-1β. Mast cell secretion of IL-1β in response to SP and IL-33 reveals targets for the development of antiinflammatory therapies.


1998 ◽  
Vol 112 (5) ◽  
pp. 577-591 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dorothea Lorenz ◽  
Burkhard Wiesner ◽  
Josef Zipper ◽  
Anett Winkler ◽  
Eberhard Krause ◽  
...  

Substance P and other polycationic peptides are thought to stimulate mast cell degranulation via direct activation of G proteins. We investigated the ability of extracellularly applied substance P to translocate into mast cells and the ability of intracellularly applied substance P to stimulate degranulation. In addition, we studied by reverse transcription–-PCR whether substance P-specific receptors are present in the mast cell membrane. To study translocation, a biologically active and enzymatically stable fluorescent analogue of substance P was synthesized. A rapid, substance P receptor- and energy-independent uptake of this peptide into pertussis toxin-treated and -untreated mast cells was demonstrated using confocal laser scanning microscopy. The peptide was shown to localize preferentially on or inside the mast cell granules using electron microscopic autoradiography with 125I-labeled all-D substance P and 3H-labeled substance P. Cell membrane capacitance measurements using the patch-clamp technique demonstrated that intracellularly applied substance P induced calcium transients and activated mast cell exocytosis with a time delay that depended on peptide concentration (delay of 100–500 s at concentrations of substance P from 50 to 5 μM). Degranulation in response to intracellularly applied substance P was inhibited by GDPβS and pertussis toxin, suggesting that substance P acts via G protein activation. These results support the recently proposed model of a receptor-independent mechanism of peptide-induced mast cell degranulation, which assumes a direct interaction of peptides with G protein α subunits subsequent to their translocation across the plasma membrane.


2016 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 380-392 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fien C. Devos ◽  
Brett Boonen ◽  
Yeranddy A. Alpizar ◽  
Tania Maes ◽  
Valérie Hox ◽  
...  

Asthma may be induced by chemical sensitisers,viamechanisms that are still poorly understood. This type of asthma is characterised by airway hyperreactivity (AHR) and little airway inflammation. Since potent chemical sensitisers, such as toluene-2,4-diisocyanate (TDI), are also sensory irritants, it is suggested that chemical-induced asthma relies on neuro-immune mechanisms.We investigated the involvement of transient receptor potential channels (TRP) A1 and V1, major chemosensors in the airways, and mast cells, known for their ability to communicate with sensory nerves, in chemical-induced AHR.In vitrointracellular calcium imaging and patch-clamp recordings in TRPA1- and TRPV1-expressing Chinese hamster ovarian cells showed that TDI activates murine TRPA1, but not TRPV1. Using anin vivomodel, in which an airway challenge with TDI induces AHR in TDI-sensitised C57Bl/6 mice, we demonstrated that AHR does not develop, despite successful sensitisation, inTrpa1andTrpv1knockout mice, and wild-type mice pretreated with a TRPA1 blocker or a substance P receptor antagonist. TDI-induced AHR was also abolished in mast cell deficientKitWsh/Wshmice, and in wild-type mice pretreated with the mast cell stabiliser ketotifen, without changes in immunological parameters.These data demonstrate that TRPA1, TRPV1 and mast cells play an indispensable role in the development of TDI-elicited AHR.


1996 ◽  
Vol 270 (6) ◽  
pp. L985-L991 ◽  
Author(s):  
X. Y. Hua ◽  
S. M. Back ◽  
E. K. Tam

We previously demonstrated in an ex vivo rat tracheal model that chymotryptic activity is an index of mast cell degranulation and that substance P (SP) and electrical field stimulation (EFS) synergistically degranulate mucosal and connective tissue mast cells. In the current study, we found that the facilitatory effect of SP was apparent at concentrations as low as 10(-9) M. This effect was mimicked by 10(-7) M neurokinin A or by 10(-6) M capsaicin and was blocked by the NK1 receptor antagonist CP-96,345. SP + EFS-induced mast cell secretion was significantly attenuated by 10(-6) M tetrodotoxin. The response was also attenuated in tracheas from rats in which sensory nerves had been depleted by systemic pretreatment with capsaicin or in which sympathetic nerves had been depleted by systemic pretreatment with 6-hydroxy-dopamine. Atropine (10(-6) M) or indomethacin (10(-5) M) also attenuated SP + EFS-induced mast cell secretion. Our findings suggest the importance of a sensitizing rather than a direct stimulating effect of SP on mast cell degranulation. SP may increase the sensitivity of mast cells to EFS-discharged mediators or facilitate the release of mast cell-stimulating mediators from autonomic nerves.


1999 ◽  
Vol 277 (5) ◽  
pp. G1064-G1073 ◽  
Author(s):  
Astrid Rydning ◽  
Oddveig Lyng ◽  
Steinar Aase ◽  
Jon Erik Grønbech

Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) released from sensory neurons, which are closely apposed to mast cells and blood vessels, mediates gastric hyperemia in response to acid challenge of the damaged mucosa. Substance P (SP) is coreleased with CGRP from sensory neurons, but the role of this peptide in gastric blood flow regulation is largely unknown. Chambered rat stomachs were exposed to 1.5 M NaCl and acidic saline after treatment with SP, aprotinin (serine protease inhibitor), and the mast cell stabilizers ketotifen and sodium cromoglycate (SCG). Gastric hyperemia (measured with a laser Doppler flow velocimeter) after hypertonic injury and acid challenge was nearly abolished by SP. Aprotinin infused together with SP and pretreatment with ketotifen and SCG before SP restored the gastric hyperemia. Ketotifen and SCG inhibited mast cell degranulation in SP-treated rats. Preservation of gastric hyperemia was correlated with improved mucosal repair. These data suggest that impaired hyperemia by SP during acid challenge of the gastric mucosa may be mediated by a mast cell-dependent mechanism involving the release of proteases from mast cells.


1994 ◽  
Vol 267 (5) ◽  
pp. R1421-R1429 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. M. Reynier-Rebuffel ◽  
P. Mathiau ◽  
J. Callebert ◽  
V. Dimitriadou ◽  
N. Farjaudon ◽  
...  

Rabbit leptomeningeal arteries contain granular cells resembling mast cells that frequently contact autonomic and sensory nerve profiles. In the present in vitro study, we determined whether these cells could be stimulated by substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), which are stored and released by sensory C fibers. Immunohistochemistry of the middle cerebral artery showed that 5-HT was stored only in mast cell-like granules. This pool of 5-HT decreased in a dose-dependent manner when exogenous SP and CGRP were added to the incubation solution or when endogenous neuropeptides were released from nerve terminals by capsaicin. The simultaneous administration of CGRP and SP induced a dramatic exocytosis and a 5-HT release significantly greater than the sum of the individual effects of the two neuropeptides. We conclude that, as in classical connective tissue mast cells, the amine content of these granular cells can be released by a degranulation process induced by neuropeptides. The effects of capsaicin suggest that this phenomenon can be triggered by axon reflex of C fibers. The data also provide the first evidence of a synergistic action of SP and CGRP on mast cell degranulation.


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