Human Intestinal Fibroblasts Prevent Apoptosis in Human Intestinal Mast Cells by a Mechanism Independent of Stem Cell Factor, IL-3, IL-4, and Nerve Growth Factor

Gernot Sellge, Axel Lorentz, Thomas Gebhardt, Francesca Levi-Schaffer, Hueseyin Bektas, Michael P. Manns, Detlef Schuppan, Stephan C. Bischoff*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

41 Scopus citations

Abstract

In rodents, fibroblasts (FBs) mediate stem cell factor (SCF)-dependent growth of mast cells (MCs). In humans, SCF is mandatory for MC differentiation and survival. Other factors such as IL-3, IL-4, and nerve growth factor (NGF) act in synergism with SCF, thus enhancing proliferation and/or preventing apoptosis in MCs. In this study, we studied in vitro interactions between human MCs and human FBs, both isolated from the intestine and purified to homogeneity. In coculture with FBs, MCs survived for up to 3 wk, whereas purified MCs cultured alone died within a few days. TNF-α and IL-1β, which both did not affect MC survival directly, enhanced FB-dependent MC growth. We provide evidence that FB-derived MC growth factors are soluble, heat-sensitive molecules which down-regulate MC apoptosis without enhancing MC proliferation. However, only low amounts of SCF were measured in FB-conditioned medium (<0. 2 ng/ml). Moreover, blocking of SCF/c-kit interaction by anti-SCF or anti-c-kit Abs and neutralization of IL-3, IL-4, and NGF did not affect MC survival in the coculture system. In conclusion, our data indicate that human FBs promote survival of human MCs by mechanisms independent of SCF, IL-3, IL-4, and NGF. Such interactions between MCs and FBs may explain why MCs accumulate at sites of inflammatory bowel disease and intestinal fibrosis.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)260-267
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of Immunology
Volume172
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Jan 2004

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