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Induction of mast cell proliferation, maturation, and heparin synthesis by the rat c-kit ligand, stem cell factor

Journal Article · · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America; (United States)
; ;  [1]; ;  [2]; ; ;  [3]
  1. Beth Israel Hospital, Boston, MA (United States)
  2. National Inst. of Health, Bethesda, MD (United States)
  3. Amgen, Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA (United States)

The authors investigated the effects of a newly recognized multifunctional growth factor, the c-kit ligand stem cell factor (SCF), on mouse mast cell proliferation and phenotype. Recombinant rat SCF{sup 164} (rrSCF{sup 164}) induced the development of large numbers of dermal mast cells in normal mice in vivo. Many of these mast cells had features of connective tissue-type mast cells (CTMC), in that they were reactive both with the heparin-binding fluorescent dye berberine sulfate and with safranin. In vitro, rrSCF{sup 164} induced the proliferation of cloned interleukin 3 (IL-3)-dependent mouse mast cells and primary populations of IL-3-dependent, bone marrow-derived cultured mast cells (BMCMC), which represent immature mast cells, and purified peritoneal mast cells, which represent a type of mature CTMC> BMCMC maintained in rrSCF{sup 164} not only proliferated but also matured. These findings identify SCF as a single cytokine that can induce immature, IL-3-dependent mast cells to mature and to acquire multiple characteristics of CTMC. These findings also directly demonstrate that SCF can regulate the development of a cellular lineage expressing c-kit through effects on both proliferation and maturation.

OSTI ID:
6096650
Journal Information:
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America; (United States), Journal Name: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America; (United States) Vol. 88:14; ISSN PNASA; ISSN 0027-8424
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English