[Effect of retinoic acid on the differentiation and growth of murine mastocyte precursors]. / Effet de l'acide rétinoïque sur la différenciation et la croissance des précurseurs mastocytaires murins.

In cultures of normal mouse hematopoietic cells containing Interleukin-3 develop cells with many features of mast cells. These cells seem heterogeneous with respect to morphological and biochemical examination. Nevertheless, most of the cells show many granules and a low ability to self-renew. In the present report we describe the development of a blastic cell population, termed mastoblasts, when normal mouse hematopoietic cells are exposed continuously to retinoic acid (RA: 10(-6) to 10(-5) M/l). Using H*3-thymidine incorporation, cell cycle measurement and protein content by flow cytometry, transmission and scanning electron microscopy, we show that these cells seem to be of mast cell lineage but with a high self-renewing capability. So, RA is able to inhibit mast cell differentiation and to provide us a "mastoblastic" population which could be used as a model to study mast cell differentiation.

Regional and systemic immune responses to trinitrophenyl derivatives after intranasal and subcutaneous sensitization of mice.

The immune responses and accompanying inflammatory local reactions were analyzed in mice sensitized subcutaneously (SC) or intranasally. Administration of picrylsulfonic acid (PSA) by both routes for two 2- or 1-week periods with a 4-week interval resulted in delayed hypersensitivity responses. Serum antibodies of the IgG and IgE and some of the IgA isotype were found, particularly in SC-sensitized animals. The latter animals also had levels of IgG antibodies in their bronchial fluid. Lymph node cells from mice sensitized for 2-week periods demonstrated high spontaneous proliferation. After culture together with spleen cells, these cells exhibited considerable numbers of mast cells, particularly after stimulation with pokeweed and antigen. The lungs from mice sensitized intranasally revealed increased numbers of mononuclear cells around large vessels and mucous cells in the bronchiolar epithelium, although there were individual differences between the animals. The mast cell numbers in the lungs were only slightly increased compared with numbers in nonimmunized animals subjected to ether anesthesia. Animals injected SC with PSA exhibited increased numbers of mast cells in their lungs compared with control mice. Mice sensitized with trinitrophenylated human serum albumin demonstrated some differences in their immune reactivity compared with animals immunized with PSA. Thus, no obvious delayed hypersensitivity appeared, but the IgG antibody titers were higher, and the IgE antibody titers were lower. The cellular responses assessed histologically demonstrated higher mononuclear cell numbers and lower mast cell numbers compared with those observed in animals sensitized with PSA.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Thymus dependence of connective tissue mast cells: a quantitative cytofluorometric study of the growth of peritoneal mast cells in normal and athymic rats.

The normal growth of peritoneal mast cells was studied in athymic and heterozygote rats over the period of 5-29 weeks of age. The total peritoneal mast cell mass and the mass of the granular components was calculated from mast cell numbers and their content of protein, heparin and 5-hydroxytryptamine. The growth process was analyzed by allometric log-log plots of mast cell quantities versus body weight and linear regressions. The mast cell growth in both groups of rats conformed to the allometric principle and was strictly proportional to the growth of the body as a whole. Two major differences between athymic and heterozygote rats were observed. The total peritoneal mast cell mass and the mass of its components was initially higher in the athymic rats, but the growth rate of the mast cells was lower. We suggest that the thymus may regulate the mast cells by an inhibitory factor acting on the bone marrow stem cell or circulating precursor level. The lower growth rate of the athymic rats may be due to the absence of a second, stimulatory thymic factor acting on the tissue precursor level, or to a tissue homeostatic mechanism triggered by the large initial mast cell mass and unrelated to the thymus.

Development of mast cells in vitro. II. Biologic function of cultured mast cells.

Mast cells were obtained by long term culture of rat thymus cells on rat embryonic fibroblast monolayers. Pure mast cell preparations obtained culture were incubated with 125I-labeled rat E myeloma protein to study receptors for IgE on their surface. When the cells were obtained after 35 to 45 days culture, the average number of receptors per mast cell was 100,000 to 400,000. An equilibrium constant of the binding reaction between their receptor and rat IgE was in the order of 108 M-1. The histamine content of the cultured mast cells was 0.2 to 5 mug/106 cells. The measurement of histamine content in mast cells recovered after different periods of culture suggested that the histamine content increased with maturation. Even after 45 to 50 days culture, the histamine content of cultured mast cells was significantly lower than that in rat peritoneal mast cells. The cultured mast cells were passively sensitized in vitro with rat IgE antibody against Nippostrongylus brasiliensis. The sensitized cells released histamine upon incubation with the antigen. It was also found that cultured mast cells released histamine upon exposure to compound 48/80. These results indicated that cultured mast cells have physiologic functions similar to those of normal rat mast cells, but they have not reached full maturation.

Different effects of thymidine and 5-fluorouracil 2'-deoxyriboside on biosynthetic events in cultured P815Y mast cells.

1. Addition of 2mm-thymidine, although resulting in the cessation of cell division, allows the continuation of phospholipid and protein synthesis and results in an increase in mean cell volume for at least 15h. 2. 5-Fluorouracil 2'-deoxyriboside inhibits cell division but differs from thymidine by inhibiting the synthesis of phospholipid and protein in a more marked manner. 3. The relation between these results and the P815Y cell cycle is discussed.