The role played by key transcription factors in activated mast cells

The network of transcription factors in mast cells has not been investigated as widely as it has been in other differentiated hematopoietic cells. There are still many mechanisms of transcriptional regulation that need to be fully elucidated to understand how mast cell external stimuli lead to the appropriate physiological responses. Such information could be used to determine potential therapeutic targets for the control of mast cell activation in inflammatory diseases, allergy, and asthma. The aim of this article is to review hallmark studies in the field of transcription factor regulation in mast cells. We elaborate especially on several transcription factors studied in our laboratory in the past decade, including activator protein-1, microphthalmia-associated transcription factor, upstream stimulating factor-2, and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3.