TUMOR-NECROSIS-FACTOR-ALPHA (TNF-ALPHA) ACTIVATES HUMAN ADENOIDAL ANDCUTANEOUS MAST-CELLS TO HISTAMINE-SECRETION

It is widely known that mast cells and cytokine TNF-a are both involve d in inflammatory reactions. Therefore, we have studied whether TNF-c! can cause histamine secretion from human adenoidal and cutaneous mast cells. The experiments were performed in vitro on mast cells isolated from tissues by enzymatic dispersion technique. The results of our ex periments have clearly shown that this cytokine stimulates mast cells to histamine release. TNF-alpha-induced histamine release was concentr ation-and time-dependent. Moreover, the release of histamine evoked by TNF-alpha was also dependent on reaction temperature and on glycolyti c and oxidative cellular metabolism. We have concluded that TNF-alpha is a potent stimulus for mast cells to release histamine and that it i nduces histamine release via an active, secretory process. (C) 1997 El sevier Science B.V.