Superantigenic Activation of Human Cardiac Mast Cells

oleh: Gilda Varricchi, Stefania Loffredo, Francesco Borriello, Antonio Pecoraro, Felice Rivellese, Arturo Genovese, Giuseppe Spadaro, Gianni Marone

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2019-04-01

Deskripsi

B cell superantigens, also called immunoglobulin superantigens, bind to the variable regions of either the heavy or light chain of immunoglobulins mirroring the lymphocyte-activating properties of classical T cell superantigens. Protein A of <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>, protein L of <i>Peptostreptococcus magnus</i>, and gp120 of HIV are typical immunoglobulin superantigens. Mast cells are immune cells expressing the high-affinity receptor for IgE (Fc&#949;RI) and are strategically located in the human heart, where they play a role in several cardiometabolic diseases. Here, we investigated whether immunoglobulin superantigens induced the activation of human heart mast cells (HHMCs). Protein A induced the de novo synthesis of cysteinyl leukotriene C<sub>4</sub> (LTC<sub>4</sub>) from HHMCs through the interaction with IgE V<sub>H</sub>3<sup>+</sup> bound to Fc&#949;RI. Protein L stimulated the production of prostaglandin D<sub>2</sub> (PGD<sub>2</sub>) from HHMCs through the interaction with &#954; light chains of IgE. HIV glycoprotein gp120 induced the release of preformed (histamine) and de novo synthesized mediators, such as cysteinyl leukotriene C<sub>4</sub> (LTC<sub>4</sub>), angiogenic (VEGF-A), and lymphangiogenic (VEGF-C) factors by interacting with the V<sub>H</sub>3 region of IgE. Collectively, our data indicate that bacterial and viral immunoglobulin superantigens can interact with different regions of IgE bound to Fc&#949;RI to induce the release of proinflammatory, angiogenic, and lymphangiogenic factors from human cardiac mast cells.