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Ultrastructural evidence for human mast cell-eosinophil interactions in vitro

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Abstract

We have hypothesized that mast cells (MC) and eosinophils (Eos), the main effectors of allergy, can form an effector unit. These cells co-exist in the inflamed tissues during the late and chronic stages of allergy and have been shown to be capable of influencing each other's survival and activity via soluble mediators. We have recently described couples of receptor-ligands that are expressed on either/both of these cells and that imply a physical interaction. In this study, we have investigated the existence of short-term (60 min) in vitro interactions between human peripheral blood Eos and cord-blood-derived MC by transmission electron microscopy. We have found that MC and Eos adhere to each other; the lipid body content and the granule morphology of co-cultured MC and Eos, respectively, are altered, and the level of Eos peroxidase (EPO) released by co-cultured Eos is elevated. Moreover, the transfer of EPO from Eos to MC and tryptase from MC to Eos has been observed. Our results thus indicate that, when co-cultured, MC and Eos show signs of physical contact and of reciprocal activation. This is the first in vitro evidence of functional physical interactions between human MC and Eos, interactions that might also occur in vivo during allergic diseases.

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Acknowledgements

F. Levi-Schaffer is affiliated to the David R. Bloom Center of Pharmacy and the Adolph and Klara Brettler Center for Research in Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics Institute for Drug Research, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Ein Kerem, Jerusalem, 91120, Israel

    Yael Minai-Fleminger, Moran Elishmereni & Francesca Levi-Schaffer

  2. Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel

    David Mankuta

  3. Physiology and Pathology, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy

    Francesca Vita, Maria Rosa Soranzo & Guliano Zabucchi

  4. Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy

    Maria Rosa Soranzo & Guliano Zabucchi

Authors
  1. Yael Minai-Fleminger
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  2. Moran Elishmereni
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  3. Francesca Vita
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  4. Maria Rosa Soranzo
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  5. David Mankuta
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  6. Guliano Zabucchi
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  7. Francesca Levi-Schaffer
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Correspondence to Francesca Levi-Schaffer.

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Yael Minai-Fleminger and Moran Elishmereni contributed equally to this work.

This project was supported by grants from the Israel Science Foundation (no. 213105) and the Aimwell Charitable Trust, UK (no. 0364163).

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Minai-Fleminger, Y., Elishmereni, M., Vita, F. et al. Ultrastructural evidence for human mast cell-eosinophil interactions in vitro. Cell Tissue Res 341, 405–415 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-010-1010-8

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