Future Needs in Mast Cell Biology

The pathophysiological roles of mast cells are still not fully understood, over 140 years since their description by Paul Ehrlich in 1878. Initial studies have attempted to identify distinct "subpopulations" of mast cells based on a relatively small number of biochemical characteristics. More recently, "subtypes" of mast cells have been described based on the analysis of transcriptomes of anatomically distinct mouse mast cell populations. Although mast cells can potently alter homeostasis, in certain circumstances, these cells can also contribute to the restoration of homeostasis. Both solid and hematologic tumors are associated with the accumulation of peritumoral and/or intratumoral mast cells, suggesting that these cells can help to promote and/or limit tumorigenesis. We suggest that at least two major subsets of mast cells, MC1 (meaning anti-tumorigenic) and MC2 (meaning pro-tumorigenic), and/or different mast cell mediators derived from otherwise similar cells, could play distinct or even opposite roles in tumorigenesis. Mast cells are also strategically located in the human myocardium, in atherosclerotic plaques, in close proximity to nerves and in the aortic valve. Recent studies have revealed evidence that cardiac mast cells can participate both in physiological and pathological processes in the heart. It seems likely that different subsets of mast cells, like those of cardiac macrophages, can exert distinct, even opposite, effects in different pathophysiological processes in the heart. In this chapter, we have commented on possible future needs of the ongoing efforts to identify the diverse functions of mast cells in health and disease.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2019

Erschienen:

2019

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:20

Enthalten in:

International journal of molecular sciences - 20(2019), 18 vom: 06. Sept.

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Varricchi, Gilda [VerfasserIn]
de Paulis, Amato [VerfasserIn]
Marone, Gianni [VerfasserIn]
Galli, Stephen J [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

Allergy
Atherosclerosis
Biomarkers
Cancer
Cancer-related inflammation
Journal Article
Mast cell
Myocardial infarction
Predictive biomarker
Review
Tumor-associated mast cells

Anmerkungen:

Date Completed 04.02.2020

Date Revised 14.10.2023

published: Electronic

Citation Status MEDLINE

doi:

10.3390/ijms20184397

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM301090998