scholarly journals Mast cell–glia axis in neuroinflammation and therapeutic potential of the anandamide congener palmitoylethanolamide

2012 ◽  
Vol 367 (1607) ◽  
pp. 3312-3325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen D. Skaper ◽  
Laura Facci

Communication between the immune and nervous systems depends a great deal on pro-inflammatory cytokines. Both astroglia and microglia, in particular, constitute an important source of inflammatory mediators and may have fundamental roles in central nervous system (CNS) disorders from neuropathic pain and epilepsy to neurodegenerative diseases. Glial cells respond also to pro-inflammatory signals released from cells of immune origin. In this context, mast cells are of particular relevance. These immune-related cells, while resident in the CNS, are able to cross a compromised blood-spinal cord and blood-brain barrier in cases of CNS pathology. Emerging evidence suggests the possibility of mast cell–glia communication, and opens exciting new perspectives for designing therapies to target neuroinflammation by differentially modulating the activation of non-neuronal cells normally controlling neuronal sensitization—both peripherally and centrally. This review aims to provide an overview of recent progress relating to the pathobiology of neuroinflammation, the role of glia, neuro-immune interactions involving mast cells and the possibility that glia–mast cell interactions contribute to exacerbation of acute symptoms of chronic neurodegenerative disease and accelerated disease progression, as well as promotion of pain transmission pathways. Using this background as a starting point for discussion, we will consider the therapeutic potential of naturally occurring fatty acid ethanolamides, such as palmitoylethanolamide in treating systemic inflammation or blockade of signalling pathways from the periphery to the brain in such settings.

1998 ◽  
Vol 275 (4) ◽  
pp. G812-G821 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. B. Scott ◽  
D. T. M. Tan ◽  
M. Miampamba ◽  
K. A. Sharkey

The roles of mast cells and extrinsic and vagal neural pathways in the anaphylaxis-induced alterations in motility observed at sites remote from antigen exposure were explored. Rats were sensitized to egg albumin (EA) and prepared with 1) electrodes to monitor intestinal myoelectric activity, 2) an isolated intestinal loop, and 3) either intact vagal innervation or a subdiaphragmatic vagotomy. Fasting myoelectric activity was recorded before and after challenge of the jejunum in continuity or the isolated loop with EA or BSA. Intestinal segments and the brain stems were processed for mast cell identification (intestine) or Fos immunoreactivity (brain stem). EA but not BSA challenge of the jejunum or the isolated loop induced altered motility at both sites and diarrhea. Granulated mast cells were significantly reduced at the site local to but not remote from challenge. Vagotomy did not inhibit antigen-induced alterations in motility or diarrhea. The number of Fos-immunoreactive nuclei in vagal sensory or motor nuclei was not significantly altered by vagotomy. Thus antigen challenge of sensitized animals causes mast cell degranulation only at the site of direct challenge but alters motility at sites local and remote from challenge. The remote response requires intact extrinsic but not necessarily vagal neural pathways.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Xiang Zhang ◽  
Hongquan Dong ◽  
Fei Wang ◽  
Jun Zhang

Neuroinflammation plays a key role in the occurrence and development of neurodegenerative diseases. Microglia, the resident immune cells in the brain, have been recognized to contribute to neuroinflammation. Previous studies have shown that activated mast cells may be involved in surgery-induced neuroinflammation and neuronal apoptosis by using pharmacological methods. This study is aimed at ascertaining the exactly role of mast cells on neuroinflammation with the mast cell-deficient mice. Adult male C57BL6/J wild-type (WT) and mast cell-deficient (C57BL6/J KitWsh/Wsh (Wsh)) mice underwent tibial fracture surgery. Blood-brain barrier (BBB) breakdown, microglial activation, and neuroinflammatory levels were examined at 1 day after surgery. Surgery-induced BBB breakdown, microglial activation, and neuroinflammatory levels were significantly, pharmacologically reduced using a mast cell stabilizer, cromolyn sodium in WT mice (P<0.05). These results were reproduced with mast cell deficiency. WT mice administered intraventricularly with cromolyn exhibited reduced BBB breakdown, microglial activation, and neuroinflammatory levels versus vehicle (P<0.05). But there was no effect of cromolyn versus vehicle in Wsh mice, clarifying the specificity of cromolyn on brain mast cells. These findings demonstrated that activated mast cells promote surgery-induced BBB breakdown and neuroinflammation in mice, and open up a new therapeutic target for neuroinflammation-related diseases.


2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (8) ◽  
pp. 581-597 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ambreen Fatima ◽  
Yasir Hasan Siddique

Flavonoids are naturally occurring plant polyphenols found universally in all fruits, vegetables and medicinal plants. They have emerged as a promising candidate in the formulation of treatment strategies for various neurodegenerative disorders. The use of flavonoid rich plant extracts and food in dietary supplementation have shown favourable outcomes. The present review describes the types, properties and metabolism of flavonoids. Neuroprotective role of various flavonoids and the possible mechanism of action in the brain against the neurodegeneration have been described in detail with special emphasis on the tangeritin.


2008 ◽  
Vol 105 (46) ◽  
pp. 18053-18057 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine M. Nautiyal ◽  
Ana C. Ribeiro ◽  
Donald W. Pfaff ◽  
Rae Silver

Mast cells are resident in the brain and contain numerous mediators, including neurotransmitters, cytokines, and chemokines, that are released in response to a variety of natural and pharmacological triggers. The number of mast cells in the brain fluctuates with stress and various behavioral and endocrine states. These properties suggest that mast cells are poised to influence neural systems underlying behavior. Using genetic and pharmacological loss-of-function models we performed a behavioral screen for arousal responses including emotionality, locomotor, and sensory components. We found that mast cell deficient KitW−sh/W−sh (sash−/−) mice had a greater anxiety-like phenotype than WT and heterozygote littermate control animals in the open field arena and elevated plus maze. Second, we show that blockade of brain, but not peripheral, mast cell activation increased anxiety-like behavior. Taken together, the data implicate brain mast cells in the modulation of anxiety-like behavior and provide evidence for the behavioral importance of neuroimmune links.


Allergy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lea Pohlmeier ◽  
Sanchaita Sriwal Sonar ◽  
Hans‐Reimer Rodewald ◽  
Manfred Kopf ◽  
Luigi Tortola

1984 ◽  
Vol 62 (6) ◽  
pp. 734-737 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Shanahan ◽  
J. A. Denburg ◽  
J. Bienenstock ◽  
A. D. Befus

Increasing evidence for the existence of inter- and intra-species mast cell heterogeneity has expanded the potential biological role of this cell. Early studies suggesting that mast cells at mucosal sites differ morphologically and histochemically from connective tissue mast cells have been confirmed using isolated intestinal mucosal mast cells in the rat and more recently in man. These studies also established that mucosal mast cells are functionally distinct from connective tissue mast cells. Thus, mucosal and connective tissue mast cells differ in their responsiveness to a variety of mast cell secretagogues and antiallergic agents. Speculation about the therapeutic use of antiallergic drugs in disorders involving intestinal mast cells cannot, therefore, be based on extrapolation from studies of their effects on mast cells from other sites. Regulatory mechanisms for mast cell secretion may also be heterogeneous since mucosal mast cells differ from connective tissue mast cells in their response to a variety of physiologically occurring regulatory peptides. The development of techniques to purify isolated mast cell sub-populations will facilitate future analysis of the biochemical basis of the functional heterogeneity of mast cells.


1996 ◽  
Vol 80 (4) ◽  
pp. 1322-1330 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Longphre ◽  
L. Y. Zhang ◽  
J. R. Harkema ◽  
S. R. Kleeberger

Ozone (O3) exposure produces inflammation in the airways of humans and animal models. However, the mechanism by which O3 affects these changes is uncertain. Mast cells are strategically located below the epithelium of the airways and are capable of releasing a number of proinflammatory mediators. We tested the hypothesis that mast cells contribute to inflammation, epithelial sloughing, and epithelial proliferation in the nasal and terminal bronchiolar murine airways after O3 exposure. Mast cell-sufficient (+/+), mast cell-deficient (W/Wv), and mast cell-repleted [bone marrow-transplanted (BMT) W/Wv] mice were exposed to 2 ppm O3 or filtered air for 3 h. Nasal and bronchoalveolar lavage fluids were collected 6 and 24 h after exposure. Differential cell counts and protein content of the lavage fluids were used as indicators of inflammation and permeability changes in the airways. O3-induced epithelial injury was assessed by light microscopy, and O3-induced DNA synthesis in airway epithelium was estimated by using a 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine-labeling index in the nasal and terminal bronchiolar epithelia. Relative to air control mice, O3 caused significant increases in inflammation, epithelial injury, and epithelial DNA synthesis in +/+ mice. There was no significant effect of O3 exposure on any measured parameter in the W/Wv mice. To further assess the role of mast cells in O3-induced epithelial damage, mast cells were restored in W/Wv mice by BMT from +/+ congeners. Relative to sham-transplanted W/Wv mice, O3 caused significant increases in epithelial damage and DNA synthesis as well as inflammatory indicators in BMT W/Wv mice. These observations are consistent with the hypothesis that mast cells significantly modulate the inflammatory and proliferative responses of the murine airways to O3.


2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (556) ◽  
pp. eaao4354 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivana Halova ◽  
Monika Bambouskova ◽  
Lubica Draberova ◽  
Viktor Bugajev ◽  
Petr Draber

Chemotaxis of mast cells is one of the crucial steps in their development and function. Non–T cell activation linker (NTAL) is a transmembrane adaptor protein that inhibits the activation of mast cells and B cells in a phosphorylation-dependent manner. Here, we studied the role of NTAL in the migration of mouse mast cells stimulated by prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). Although PGE2 does not induce the tyrosine phosphorylation of NTAL, unlike IgE immune complex antigens, we found that loss of NTAL increased the chemotaxis of mast cells toward PGE2. Stimulation of mast cells that lacked NTAL with PGE2 enhanced the phosphorylation of AKT and the production of phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate. In resting NTAL-deficient mast cells, phosphorylation of an inhibitory threonine in ERM family proteins accompanied increased activation of β1-containing integrins, which are features often associated with increased invasiveness in tumors. Rescue experiments indicated that only full-length, wild-type NTAL restored the chemotaxis of NTAL-deficient cells toward PGE2. Together, these data suggest that NTAL is a key inhibitor of mast cell chemotaxis toward PGE2, which may act through the RHOA/ERM/β1-integrin and PI3K/AKT axes.


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