The chemokine receptor CXCR4 is expressed within the mast cell lineage andits ligand stromal cell-derived factor-1 alpha acts as a mast cell chemotaxin
M. Juremalm et al., The chemokine receptor CXCR4 is expressed within the mast cell lineage andits ligand stromal cell-derived factor-1 alpha acts as a mast cell chemotaxin, EUR J IMMUN, 30(12), 2000, pp. 3614-3622
In this study we provide evidence that the chemokine stromal cell-derived f
actor-1 alpha (SDF-1 alpha) acts as a mast cell chemoattractant through int
eractions with its receptor CXCR4 expressed on mast cell progenitors in the
blood as well as on in vitro-developed and leukemic mast cells. We found e
xpression of CXCR4 on cord blood-derived mast cells (CBMC) and on the human
mast cell line HMC-1, analyzed by RNAse protection assay and flow cytometr
y. SDF-1 alpha: induced intracellular calcium mobilization in HMC-1 cells a
nd was chemotactic for both HMC-1 cells and CBMC. The activity of SDF-1 alp
ha was completely blocked by treating the cells with pertussis toxin, indic
ating the involvement of G(i)-proteins in the signaling. By applying a tran
swell assay we could show that SDF-1 alpha induces migration of a cell popu
lation in peripheral blood that is enriched for cells with the capacity to
differentiate into mast cells. These findings thus suggest a mechanism by w
hich human mast cell progenitors may be recruited from circulation into the
tissue.