The major emphasis of the proposed continuation of the research project concerns the purification and the biochemical and immunologic characterization of neutral protease components of secretory granules from mast cells. Mast cells obtained from rat serosal surfaces and those derived from mouse hematopoietic tissue and maintained in culture, both of which can be obtained regularly in greatest abundance and purity, and from human pulmonary tissue, which are of greatest relevance to human biology, will be utilized.
Specific aims with rodent mast cells include determination of the mechanisms by which exogenous chymase activates rat serosal mast cells and its relation to immunologic activation; the role of released chymase in the mast cell-mediated inflammatory response; purification and characterization of the chymotryptic and tryptic murine mast cell proteases; evaluation of the epitope in murine mast cells that is shared with human tryptase; and studies of the synthesis of neutral protease, histamine, and proteoglycan and their incorporation into secretory granules. Projects with human mast cells include development of conditions to improve the yield and purity of lung mast cells; production of monoclonal and monospecific antibodies against human mast cell tryptase to be used for immunoassays, tryptase subunit characterization, localization of tryptase in tissues and cells, and immunoaffinity chromatography of tryptase; and determination of the enzymatic properties of tryptase on synthetic and biologic substrates. In particular, biologic activities of tryptase on the coagulation, kinin, and complement pathways will be examined. Tryptase mays be a specific marker for mast cells in which case a specific and sensitive immunoassay for the enzyme could detect it in biologic tissues and fluids and thereby indicate mast cell involvement. An ability to determine mast cell involvement in human disease will assist with the diagnosis and eventual treatment of allergic diseases and in a better understanding of the biology of mast cells.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
2R01AI020487-03
Application #
3130196
Study Section
Pathobiochemistry Study Section (PBC)
Project Start
1983-04-01
Project End
1986-08-31
Budget Start
1985-09-30
Budget End
1986-08-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
1985
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Virginia Commonwealth University
Department
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
City
Richmond
State
VA
Country
United States
Zip Code
23298
Vegh, Arthur B; George, Kimberly C; Lotfi-Emran, Sahar et al. (2011) Total tryptase levels indicate risk for systemic reactions to rush immunotherapy and mast cell activation. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 106:342-343.e6
Gomez, Gregorio; Zhao, Wei; Schwartz, Lawrence B (2011) Disparity in Fc?RI-induced degranulation of primary human lung and skin mast cells exposed to adenosine. J Clin Immunol 31:479-87
Simon, Michael R; Jan, Mindy; Yee, Jerry et al. (2010) Tryptase is not cleared by the kidneys into the urine. Int Arch Allergy Immunol 152:28-31
Fukuoka, Yoshihiro; Xia, Han-Zhang; Sanchez-Munoz, Laura B et al. (2008) Generation of anaphylatoxins by human beta-tryptase from C3, C4, and C5. J Immunol 180:6307-16
Fukuoka, Yoshihiro; Schwartz, Lawrence B (2007) Active monomers of human beta-tryptase have expanded substrate specificities. Int Immunopharmacol 7:1900-8
Akin, Cem; Soto, Darya; Brittain, Erica et al. (2007) Tryptase haplotype in mastocytosis: relationship to disease variant and diagnostic utility of total tryptase levels. Clin Immunol 123:268-71
Schwartz, Lawrence B (2006) Diagnostic value of tryptase in anaphylaxis and mastocytosis. Immunol Allergy Clin North Am 26:451-63
Fukuoka, Yoshihiro; Schwartz, Lawrence B (2006) The B12 anti-tryptase monoclonal antibody disrupts the tetrameric structure of heparin-stabilized beta-tryptase to form monomers that are inactive at neutral pH and active at acidic pH. J Immunol 176:3165-72
Zhao, Wei; Oskeritzian, Carole A; Pozez, Andrea L et al. (2005) Cytokine production by skin-derived mast cells: endogenous proteases are responsible for degradation of cytokines. J Immunol 175:2635-42
Oskeritzian, Carole A; Zhao, Wei; Min, Hae-Ki et al. (2005) Surface CD88 functionally distinguishes the MCTC from the MCT type of human lung mast cell. J Allergy Clin Immunol 115:1162-8

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