• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.201-206
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• 2019

The roles of mast cells in allergic diseases and helminth infections are well known. However, the roles of mast cells in T. gondii infection is poorly understood. This study was focused on the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines ($TNF-{\alpha}$, IL-4), chemokines (CXCL8, MCP-1) and nitric oxide (NO) by mast cells in response to soluble lysate of T. gondii tachyzoites. Production of CXCL8 (IL-8), MCP-1, $TNF-{\alpha}$ and IL-4 were measured by RT-PCR and ELISA. Western blot were used for detection of CXCR-1 and CXCR2. Our results showed that T. gondii lysates triggered mast cells to release CXCL8, MCP-1, $TNF-{\alpha}$, IL-4 and to produce NO. This suggests that mast cells play an important role in inflammatory responses to T. gondii.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.119-131
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• 1998

It has been reported that the glycoprotein extracted from Aloe has strong anti-inflammatory response. However, there has been no research report yet about the effect of Aloe on allergic hypersensitivity reactivity. By using guinea pig lung mast cells, this study aimed to examine the effects of Aloe glycoprotein (NY945) on the mediator releases caused by mast cell activation, and also aimed to assess the effects of NY945 on the mechanism of mediator releases in the mast cell activation. We partially purified mast cell from guinea pig lung tissues by using the enzyme digestion, the rough and the discontinuous density percoll gradient method. Mast cells were sensitized with IgG1 (anti-OA) and challenged with ovalbumin. Histamine was assayed by fluorometric analyzer, leukotrienes by radioimmunoassay. The phospholipase D activity was assessed by the production of labeled phosphatidylalcohol. The amount of mass 1, 2-diacylglycerol (DAG) was measured by the $[^3H]DAG$ produced when prelabeled with $[^3H]myristic$ acid. The phospholipid methylation was assessed by measuring the incorporation of the $[^3H]methyl$ moiety into phospholipids of cellular membranes. Pretreatment of NY945 (10 ${\mu}g$) significantly decreased histamine and leukotrienes releases during mast cell activation. The decrease of histamine release was stronger than that of leukotriene during mast cell activation. The phospholipase D activity increased by the mast cell activation was decreased by the dose-dependent manner in the pretreatment of NY945. The amount of DAG produced by PLC activity was decreased by NY945 pretreatment. The amount of mass 1, 2-diacylglycerol produced by activation of mast cells was decreased in the pretreatment of NY945. NY945 pretreatment strongly inhibited the incorporation of the $[^3H]methyl$ moiety into phospholipids. The data suggest that NY945 purified from Aloe inhibits in part an increase of 1, 2-diacylglycerol which is produced by activating mast cells with antigen-antibody reactions, which is mediated via phosphatidylcholine-phospholipase D and phosphatidylinositol-phospholipase C systems, and then followed by the inhibition of histamine release. Furthermore, NY945 reduces the production of phosphatidylcholine by inhibiting the methyltransferase I and II, which decreases the conversion of phosphatidylcholine into arachidonic acid and inhibits the production of leukotrienes.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.259-272
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• 1988

Type I allergic reaction and it's related clinical manifestations are known to occur by the effects of various chemical mediators. These chemical mediators are released from circulating basophils and tissue mast cells, which become 'sensitized' through the binding of antigens and antibodies of the IgE type to their cell surface receptors. Efforts to elucidate the mechanism of the release of these mediators, especially that of histamine, have been persued for years. The mechanism is not yet clarified at the present time. Recent reports of hyaluronidase, an enzyme known to be involved in the tissue inflammatory process, as possible participant in type I allergic reaction, initiated this study. Relationships between the hyaluronidase activity and histamine release from the sensitized rat peritoneal mast cells were investigated. Also anti-allergic agents, tranilast and disodium cromoglycate, along with known histamine releasers, morphine and compound 48/80, were used to observe the inhibitory and stimulatory effects of these substances on the hyaluronidase activity as well as histamine release from the rat mast cells. The results obtained are summarized as follows: 1) Hyaluronidase activity and histamine release from sensitiaed rat peritoneal mast cells started to increase on the 4th day of postsensitization. Hyaluronidase activity reached it's peak value on the 7th day of postsensitization and that of histamine release on the 14th day of postsensitization. 2) Hyaluronidase activity and histamine release from sensitized rat peritoneal mast cells, pre-treated with tranilast revealed significant decrease in comparison with those of non-treated cells. 3) Hyaluronidase activity and histamine release from sensitized rat peritoneal mast cells, pre-treated with tranilast, followed by morphine injection, revealed significant increase in comparison with those of tranilast treated cells. 4) In vitro study of hyaluronidase activity and histamine release from un-sensitized rat peritoneal mast cells, using morphine and compound 48/80 as activators, revealed significant increase compared to those of non-activator used cells. 5) In vitro study of hyaluronidase activity and histamine release from un-sensitized rat peritoneal mast cells, pre-treated with tranilast and disodium cromoglycate, using confound 48/80 and morphine as activators revealed significant decrease in comparison with those of tranilast and disodium cromoglycate treated cells. From above results, participation of enzyme hyaluronidase in the process of histamine release from sensitized rat pertioneal mast cells, could be suggested. It was also quite evident that the clinically used anti-allergic agents, tranilast and disodium cromoglycate, have significant inhibitory function on the hyaluronidase activity and histamine release from sensitized rat peritoneal mast cells, while morphine significantly increased the hyaluronidase activity and histamine release from sensitized rat peritoneal mast cells.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.145-150
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• 2003

In the intestinal mucosa, mast cells are thought to be responsible for the expulsion of parasites. We investigated the relationship of worm expulsion and mast cells in C3H/HeN and BALB/c mice infected with Echinostoma hortense. In addition, we examined whether the worm recovery rate was associated with the strain of mice, and whether a toluidine stain and immunohistochemistry using the c-kit antibody was effective in the detection of mast cells. In order to investigate the mucosal immune response of C3H/HeN and BALB/c mice, each mouse was infected orally with 30 E. hortense metacercariae. Then, the number of mucosal mast cells and worm recovery rates was observed in experimentally infected mouse strains between 1 week and 8 weeks post infection (PI). Mucosal mast cells were increased in 3 weeks P.I. in C3H/HeN and BALB/c mice. On the other hand, only mucosal goblet cells and worm recovery rates correlated in C3H/HeN mice (P=0.0482). Worm recoveries in C3H/HeN mice were 65.7$\pm$5.6, 53.3$\pm$5.4 and 6.7$\pm$0.6 in week 1, 2, and 3 P.I. and strongly decreased in week 3 P.I. Worm recoveries in BALB/c mice were 23.0$\pm$2.5, 10.0$\pm$1.0, and 6.7$\pm$0.6% in week 1, 2, and 3 P.I. and gradually decreased from week 1 P.I. to week 3 P.I. Worm recoveries in C3H/HeN mice were significantly higher than in BALB/c mice (P<0.00l). The number of mast cells in C3H/HeN and BALB/c mice using the anti-c-kit antibody reached to a peak in week 3 P.I. and recovered as normal level in week 5 P.I. and 6 P.I. The number in E. hortense-infected C3H/HeN mice (P=0.0015) was higher than in E. hortense-infected BALB/c mice (P=0.01) compared with the control group. There were significant differences in the number of mast cells among regions of the intestine in in C3H/HeN mice (P<0.05) but not in BALB/c mice (P>0.05). Immunohistochemistry using the anti-c-kit antibody was significant method as an examination of the number of mast cells (P=0.0002). In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that mast cells play an important role in worm recovery, and immunohistochemistry using the anti-c-kit antibody was superior to toluidine stain as an examination of mast cells.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.1 no.4
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• pp.445-456
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• 1997

We previously reported that some components of ginsenosides decreased mediator releases evoked by the activation of mast cells with specific antigen-antibody reactions. This study aimed to assess the effects of ginsenosides ($Rb_2$, Re) on the mechanism of histamine release in the mast cell activation. We partially purified guinea pig lung mast cells by using enzyme digestion, the rough and the discontinuous percoll density gradient method. Mast cells were sensitized with $IgG_1$ and challenged with ovalbumin (OA). Histamine was assayed by fluorometric analyzer, leukotrienes by radioimmunoassay. Phospholipase D (PLD) activity was assessed more directly by the production of $[^3H]phosphatidylbutanol$ (PBut) which was produced by PLD-mediated transphosphatidylation in the presence of butanol. The amount of 1,2- diacylglycerol (DAG) were measured by the $[^3H]DAG$ labeled with $[^3H]palmitic$ acid or $[^3H]myristic$ acid. Pretreatment of $Rb_2$ ($300\;{\mu}g$) significantly decreased histamine release by 60%, but Re ($300\;{\mu}g$) increased histamine release by 34%. Leukotrienes release in $Rb_2$ was decreased by 40%, Re was not affected in the leukotrienes release during mast cell activations. An increasing PLD activity during mast cell activation was decreased by the dose-dependent manner in the pretreatment of $Rb_2$, but Re pretreatment facilitated the increased PLD activity during mast cell activation. The amount of DAG produced by phospholipase C (PLC) activity was decreased by $Rb_2$ pretreatment, but Re pretreatment was not affected. The amount of mass DAG was decreased by $Rb_2$ and Re pretreatment during mast cell activation. The data suggest that $Rb_2$ purified from Korean Red Ginseng Radix inhibits the DAG which is produced by the activation of mast cells with antigen-antibody reactions via both phosphatidylinositide-PLC and phosphatidylcholine-PLD systems, and then followed by the inhibition of histamine release. However, Re increases histamine release by stimulation of DAG production, which is mediated by phosphatidylcholine-PLD system rather than by phosphatidylinositide-PLC system, but inhibits the mass DAG production. Thus, it could be inferred that other mechanisms play a role in the increase of histamine release during mast cell activation.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.10
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• pp.1348-1354
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• 2008

mi transcription factor (MITF) is important in regulating the differentiation of mast cells. In particular, MITF regulates the transcription of the mouse mast cell-specific serine protease (mMCP)-6 gene, which is generally expressed by the connective tissue-type of mast cells. In this study, we investigated alternative isoforms of MITF that regulate transcription of the mMCP-6 gene in bone marrow-derived cultured mast cells in mice. The expression of MITF isoforms was examined by RT-PCR. We observed that MITF-A, -E, -H and -Mc were expressed by mucosal-type mast cells cultured in the presence of IL-3, whereas the connective tissue-type mast cells cultured in the presence of stem cell factor (SCF) expressed MITF-A. Overexpression of MITF isoforms increased luciferase activity through the mMCP-6 promoter in NIH-3T3 cells and elevated the level of mMCP-6 expression in the MC/9 mast cell line. Moreover, mMCP-6 expression in mast cells was significantly inhibited by the depletion of MITF. The transcriptional activity and DNA binding of MITF-A was comparable to that of MITF isoforms, including MITF-E, -H, and -Mc. Our results therefore suggest that MITF-A may be an important isoform of MITF in regulating the transcription of mMCP-6 in mouse connective tissue mast cells.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.243-250
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• 2008

Mast cells containing a variety of mediators in their cytoplasmic granules are widely distributed in connective tissues and mucosal surfaces of skin, airways, and guts. Within these tissues, mast cells are involved in the pathophysiological conditions such as inflammation, self-defense, tissue-remodeling, and autoimmunity. In order to understand the functional roles of master cells in the uterus, we histologically examined the distribution and density of uterine mast cells in the different aged mice. Until 6 weeks mast cells were sparsely detected in the uterus. But at 7 weeks after birth, when estrous cycle begins, the number of mast cells within uterine tissues increased dramatically and the increment of mast cell density continued up to 32 weeks-age. After then, uterine glandular tissue degenerated gradually and density of uterine mast cell decreased. Uterine mast cells were mainly found in the myometrium and they were closely associated with smooth muscle cells, fibroblasts, and collagens, which contents were changed according to the uterine development in the myometrium. These results suggest that uterine mast cells could be involved in myometrial contractions mediated by smooth muscle cells and tissue reconstitution or remodeling during estrous cycle and parturition including the various immunological functions.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.35-41
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• 2010

Objectives : Allergy is an immune dysfunction caused by degranulation from mast cells in the early phase of allergic disease including allergic rhinitis (AR). The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Osterici Radix, roots of Ostericum koreanum Maximowicz in human mast cells and experimental allergic animal models. Methods : The anti-allergic effect of Osterici Radix water extract (NK-W) was investigated in human mast cell line, HMC-1 cells, and compound 48/80-induced systemic anaphylactic response in rats and ovalbumin (OVA)-induced AR in mice. Animals were orally administrated with NK-W (10 and 50 mg/kg) or anti-histamine drug, dosodium cromoglycate (50 mg/kg), and then intraperitoneally injected with compound 48/80 (8 mg/kg) or sensitized with 0.1% OVA into nasal. Animals were observed plasma histamine and histological changes of nasal mucosa. Also, mast cell degranulation and histamine production were determined in compound 48/80-stimulated HMC-1 cells. Results : NK-W inhibited compound 48/80-induced degranulation of mast cells and histamine releasing in HMC-1 cells. NK-W decreased mortality and serum histamine releasing in compound 48/80-induced anaphylatic rats in a dose-dependently manner. NK-W also inhibited serum histamine levels in OVA-induced AR mice and improved abnormal histological changes such as expansion of grandular cells and hypertrophy of epithelium in the nasal mucosa. These results indicate that Osterici Radix water extract suppress allergic response through downregulation of mast cell activation. Conclusions : This study suggests that a therapeutic potential of Osterici Radix as a source of anti-allergic agents for use in a number of allergic diseases.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.422-430
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• 2013

This experiment was designed to investigate the effects of So-Oochim-tang-Gagam-bang (SOCT-G) on oxidative stress and serotonin metabolism in P815 Mast Cells The effects of SOCT-G on activity of 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging and Super Oxide Dismutase (SOD) in P815 mast cells were investigated. The effect of SOCT-G on content of serotonin in P815 mast cells was investigated. The effects of SOCT-G on expression of 5-hydroxytryptamine transporter (5-HTT), Tryptophan hydroxylase 1 (TPH-1) mRNA in P815 mast cells were investigated. The SOCT-G increased DPPH radical-scavenging activity in P815 mast cells. The SOCT-G increased SOD activity in P815 mast cells. The SOCT-G decreased the intracellular content of serotonin in P815 mast cells. The SOCT-G decreased 5-HTT and TPH-1 mRNA expression in P815 mast cells. This experiment shows that So-Ochm-Tang-Gagam-bang has a significant effect of oxidative stress that help prevent free radical damage. And So-Ochim-Tang-Gagam-bang decreased the intracellular content of serotonin and mRNA expression of 5-HTT and TPH-1. Therefore, further researches are suggested to reveal the anti-depressive effectiveness of So-Ochim-Tang-Gagam-bang.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.15-25
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• 2010

Background: Rat mast cells were regarded as a good model for mast cell function in immune response. Methods: Rat bone marrow mast cells (BMMC) were prepared both by recombinant rat IL-3 (rrIL-3) and by recombinant mouse stem cell factor (rmSCF), and investigated for both proliferation and differentiation in time course. Rat BMMC was induced by culture of rat bone marrow cells (BMCs) in the presence of both rrIL-3 (5 ng/ml) and rmSCF (5 ng/ml). Culture media were changed 2 times per week with the cell number condition of $5{\times}10^4/ml$ in 6 well plate. Proliferation was analyzed by cell number and cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and differentiation was by rat mast cell protease (RMCP) II and histamine. Results: Cell proliferation rates reached a maximum at 8 or 11 days of culture and decreased thereafter. However, both RMCP II production and histamine synthesis peaked after 11 days of culture. By real time RT-PCR, the level of histidine decarboxylase mRNA was more than 500 times higher on culture day 11 than on culture day 5. By transmission electron microscopy, the cells were heterogeneous in size and contained cytoplasmic granules. Using gated flow cytometry, we showed that cultured BMCs expressed high levels of $Fc{\varepsilon}RI$ and the mast cell antigen, ganglioside, on culture day 11. Conclusion: These results indicate that rat BMMCs were generated by culturing BMCs in the presence of rrII-3 and rmSCF and that the BMMCs have the characteristics of mucosal mast cells.