ABSTRACT
AIM: To investigate the effect of TNF on release of IL-6, IL-10 and histamine from mast cells and to explore its potential signal transduction pathway. METHODS: After stimulation of various concentrations of TNF, the P815 cells were analyzed by cellular activation of signal ELISA(CASE) to detect phosphorylation of ERK, p38 and STAT3, and the supernatants were collected and analyzed by ELISA to quantify release of IL-6, IL-10 and histamine from the cells. RESULTS: Compared with the untreated control, increased IL-6 release was detected in TNF-stimulated P815 cells (P<0.05). Pretreatment of PD98059 or U0126 inhibited TNF-induced IL-6 release and ERK phosphorylation in P815 cells (P<0.05), whereas pretreatment of SB203580 or AG490 hardly affect IL-6 release, with little effect on phosphorylation of p38 and STAT3 respectively. CONCLUSION: TNF induced IL-6 release from P815 cells may involve activation of ERK signalling pathway.
