Sorry---This was the abstract for previous PDF. on mast cells and inflammation

[Guest guest]

Mercury induces inflammatory mediator release

from human mast cells

http://www.jneuroinflammation.com/content/pdf/1742-2094-7-20.pdf

Duraisamy Kempuraj , Shahrzad Asadi , Bodi Zhang , Akrivi Manola ,

Hogan , and Theoharis C Theoharides

Journal of Neuroinflammation 2010, 7:20doi:10.1186/1742-2094-7-20

Published: 11 March 2010

Abstract (provisional)

Background

Mercury is known to be neurotoxic, but its effects on the immune

system are less well known. Mast cells are involved in allergic

reactions, but also in innate and acquired immunity, as well as in

inflammation. Many patients with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) have

" allergic " symptoms; moreover, the prevalence of ASD in patients with

mastocytosis, characterized by numerous hyperactive mast cells in most

tissues, is 10-fold higher than the general population suggesting mast

cell involvement. We, therefore, investigated the effect of mercuric

chloride (HgCl2) on human mast cell activation.

Methods

Human leukemic cultured LAD2 mast cells and normal human umbilical

cord blood-derived cultured mast cells (hCBMCs) were stimulated by

HgCl2 (0.1-10 microM) for either 10 min for beta-hexosaminidase release or 24 h

for measuring vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and

IL-6 release by ELISA.

Results

HgCl2 induced a 2-fold increase in beta-hexosaminidase release, and

also significant VEGF release at 0.1 and 1 microM (311+/-32 pg/10*6

cells and 443+/-143 pg/10*6 cells, respectively) from LAD2 mast cells

compared to control cells (227+/-17 pg/10*6 cells, n=5, p<0.05).

Addition of HgCl2 (0.1 microM) to the proinflammatory neuropeptide

substance P (SP, 0.1 microM) had synergestic action in inducing VEGF

from LAD2 mast cells. HgCl2 also stimulated significant VEGF release

(360 +/- 100 pg/10*6 cells at 1 microM, n=5, p<0.05) from hCBMCs

compared to control cells (182 +/-57 pg/10*6 cells), and IL-6 release

(466+/-57 pg/10*6 cells at 0.1 microM) compared to untreated cells

(13+/-25 pg/10*6 cells, n=5, p<0.05). Addition of HgCl2 (0.1 microM)

to SP (5 microM) further increased IL-6 release.

Conclusions

HgCl2 stimulates VEGF and IL-6 release from human mast cells. This

phenomenon could disrupt the blood-brain-barrier and permit brain

inflammation. As a result, the findings of the present study provide a

biological mechanism for how low levels of mercury may contribute to ASD

pathogenesis.