MULTIPLE CYTOKINE MESSENGER-RNA EXPRESSION IN HUMAN MAST-CELLS STIMULATED VIA FC-EPSILON-RI

Cross-linkage of Fc epsilon RI on human lung mast cells purified by af finity magnetic selection with monoclonal antibody YB5.B8 against c-ki t (purity > 90%) expressed mRNA for multiple cytokines. There was no c onstitutive expression of interleukin (IL)-4 mRNA. Mast cell stimulati on with anti-IgE induced IL-4 mRNA expression which appeared maxmal at 2 h and waned slowly over the next 24 h. IL-5, IL-6, IL-8 and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha mRNA were constitutively expressed. Mast c ell activation with anti-IgE led to an increase of IL-5 and TNF-alpha m RNA signals within 2 h and which persisted for at least 24-48 h. On the other hand, IL-S and IL-8 mRNA expression were not affected by ant i-IgE challenge.