Characterization of a functional relationship between hepatocyte growth factor and mouse bone marrow-derived mast cells.

During the early stage (at 4 weeks) of interleukin-3 (IL-3)-induced development, mouse bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMC) express alpha 4, alpha 5 and alpha 6 integrins, whereas with further maturation beyond 10 weeks, only alpha 5 integrin remains stably expressed. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) modulates the growth and movement of diverse cell types upon binding to its receptor, encoded by the proto-oncogene c-met. We report here the expression of c-met by BMMC throughout the course of their development. In addition, HGF stimulated migration of early week-4 BMMC, but not of the later stage week-10 BMMC, on fibronectin and laminin substrates. The developmental stage-dependent effect of HGF on BMMC was due to specific stimulation of the migratory function of alpha 4 and alpha 6, but not alpha 5 integrins. In addition, HGF had no effect on BMMC growth, either alone or in combination with IL-3. While HGF is stimulatory of the migratory function of BMMC, our results show that BMMC in turn can modulate HGF function. Thus, upon activation via the IgE receptors, BMMC released proteases that abolished HGF activities. Analyses of the degradation products by two-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blot using antisera prepared against recombinant HGF and the kringle 3 domain of HGF revealed specific degradation of HGF alpha but not beta/beta' subunits. Therefore, our results suggest that: 1) the motogenic effect of HGF on BMMC varies according to the stage of their development, 2) HGF stimulation of BMMC migration is due to selective activation of alpha 4 and alpha 6, but not alpha 5 integrin function, and 3) there exists a two-way relationship between BMMC and HGF such that HGF stimulates the beta 1 integrin-mediated migratory function of BMMC, which can, in turn, modulate HGF function by release of serine proteases.

Differential utilization of VLA-4 (alpha 4 beta 1) and -5 (alpha 5 beta 1) integrins during the development of mouse bone marrow-derived mast cells.

Cytokines have been shown to have major roles in the development of mast cells from bone marrow progenitors. Immature mast cells derived from bone marrow thus leave the blood system to complete their course of maturation within tissues. However, it is now clear that VLA (beta 1) integrins with function in mediating cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix protein interactions have effects on the growth and differentiation of diverse cell types. At present, the involvement of VLA integrins during mast cell development is still unclear. In this study, we report the preparation of a new monoclonal antibody (mAb) against mouse VLA-5 (alpha 5 beta 1) integrin. Together with mAb R1-2, we characterized the expression of VLA-4 (alpha 4 beta 1) and VLA-5 integrins, the two major fibronectin receptors, on two long-term cultured mast cell lines, CFTL-15 and MC/9. CFTL-15 cells were found to express both VLA-4 and -5 integrins whereas MC/9 cells expressed only VLA-5 but not VLA-4. We speculated that VLA integrin expression may be related to mast cell development. Thus bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMC) were characterized after varying periods of development induced by IL-3. During the first 3 weeks the expression of VLA-4 and VLA-5 increased progressively and both were involved in mediating adhesion of BMMC to fibronectin. At time periods of greater than 3 weeks, the expression of VLA-4 declined gradually to little, if any, by week 13. In comparison, VLA-5 remained stably expressed and functioned as the major receptor for fibronectin. Results from this study therefore suggest that BMMC differentially utilize VLA-4 and VLA-5 integrins during IL-3-induced development. Differential expression of VLA integrins may have effects on the recirculation properties, tissue distribution and eventual maturation of progenitors to fully matured mast cells.