肥大细胞在动脉粥样硬化形成中的作用

动脉粥样硬化,是冠心病的病理基础,被认为是一种慢性炎症性疾病,涉及如巨噬细胞和T淋巴细胞等许多炎性细胞。肥大细胞是一种重要的免疫细胞,其功能主要是在超敏反应方面的作用。有病理学研究表明：肥大细胞在动脉粥样硬化斑块周围表达增加,这表明肥大细胞可能与疾病的进展有关。最近的研究表明,肥大细胞在动脉粥样硬化中确实起着重要的作用。本文通过总结肥大细胞在动脉粥样硬化形成中的作用,为在疾病进程中,通过调节肥大细胞功能来改善动脉粥样硬化的这种治疗方式的可能性提供依据。     

肝素生物学功能的研究进展

肝素(heparin)是由肥大细胞产生的内源性分子,是一种高度硫酸化的糖胺聚糖,随着肥大细胞脱颗粒与组胺等物质一起释放到细胞外基质中。因其主要与抗凝血酶III结合而增强其活性,间接发挥抗凝作用,故在临床上作为抗凝剂广泛使用。然而,肝素在体内的主要生物学功能仍不清楚。研究表明,肝素能够结合体内多种蛋白,影响许多生物信息的传递,在肥大细胞活性、炎症反应、细胞增殖分化及多种疾病中发挥重要作用。本文总结肝素研究的重要成果,对肝素的主要的生物学功能进行综述。     

TET2在动脉粥样硬化中的作用

动脉粥样硬化是一种严重危害人类健康的疾病,其病程长,发病机制复杂,近来研究发现表观遗传机制在动脉粥样硬化的发生发展过程中起着重要的作用。TET2为一种DNA去甲基化酶,在表观遗传调控中扮演着重要的角色。研究表明,动脉粥样硬化斑块中TET2蛋白表达降低,TET2可能通过调节DNA甲基化从而影响动脉粥样硬化的发生发展。本综述旨在分析TET2和动脉粥样硬化之间关系的研究进展,进一步明确TET2在动脉粥样硬化发生发展中的作用及其作用机制,为动脉粥样硬化的有效防治提供新的思路和线索。     

长链非编码RNA在动脉粥样硬化中的作用

动脉粥样硬化是一种致病因素多样、病理机制复杂的心血管疾病。近年研究发现,长链非编码RNA在动脉粥样硬化的发生、发展过程中发挥重要的调控作用。通过调节脂代谢、糖尿病、肥胖等危险因素,参与血管内皮功能、血管新生、免疫炎症等病理机制,影响动脉粥样硬化的疾病进程。本文就长链非编码RNA在动脉粥样硬化中的研究现状,综述其对疾病危险因素及病理机制的调控作用。     

人类肥大细胞羧肽酶

变态反应性疾病是人类一种特殊的疾病,影响极为广泛。肥大细胞是变态反应的起始效应细胞,它释放的炎性介质在变态反应性疾病中起重要作用,肥大细胞羧肽酶是其中的一种重要的介质。     

皂苷类成分对血管内皮细胞功能的调节作用研究进展

血管内皮细胞在维持血管生理稳态中发挥了重要的作用,其功能障碍是动脉粥样硬化、冠心病、脑卒中、肿瘤等多种重大疾病发生发展的病理基础,调节血管内皮细胞功能是防治上述疾病的主要途径之一。大量研究表明,皂苷类成分可通过改善血管内皮功能达到治疗疾病的目的。综述了近年来报道的皂苷类成分调节血管内皮功能的研究进展,旨在为皂苷类成分作用机制的阐明和相关重大疾病的防治提供一定参考。     

肥大细胞在病毒感染中的作用

自从Paul Ehrlich于1878年首次发现肥大细胞以来,肥大细胞作为过敏反应中非常重要的效应细胞之一被广泛研究。直到近20年,人们才逐渐认识到肥大细胞参与多种病理、生理过程,尤其是在机体抗感染、免疫与免疫病理损伤中也发挥着重要作用。随着人们对肥大细胞在细菌和寄生虫的抗感染、免疫中作用的理解不断深入,肥大细胞在病毒感染及病毒引起的相关疾病中的作用逐渐成为备受关注的研究热点,现就肥大细胞在不同病毒感染中的作用作一综述。     

中期因子与动脉粥样硬化

中期因子(midkine)是一种分泌型肝素结合生长因子,在炎症、肿瘤、代谢类疾病及胚胎的早期发育方面发挥着重要的作用。动脉粥样硬化(atherosclerosis)是一种常见的心血管疾病,迄今为止,其具体发病机制尚未完全阐明。研究表明,动脉粥样硬化是一种血管壁受损的慢性炎症性疾病,并与遗传、环境、脂质代谢相关。中期因子在脂质代谢、氧化应激及炎症等方面起重要作用,并与动脉粥样硬化密切相关。本文对中期因子在动脉粥样硬化发生发展中的作用的研究进展进行综述。     

动脉粥样硬化与清道夫受体研究进展

动脉粥样硬化是最重大的疾病之一,是心脑血管病的主要病理基础,严重危害人类健康.近年来的研究表明,清道夫受体在胆固醇代谢中起着重要作用.清道夫受体是一类结构多样化的糖蛋白受体,具有广泛的配体谱和功能.已知清道夫受体与动脉粥样硬化、宿主防御、细胞粘附、细胞增殖以及细胞凋亡等均有不同程度的关系.文章就近几年来有关该受体的结构、分布、表达调控及其在动脉粥样硬化中作用作一综述,以探索防治途径.     

肥大细胞在脂肪组织中的作用

肥大细胞(mast cells)起源于骨髓造血干细胞，定植到机体各个外周组织后继续发育成熟，在过敏性反应和预防微生物感染等方面发挥重要作用。近来研究发现，肥胖患者的脂肪组织含有大量肥大细胞，引发人们对脂肪组织中肥大细胞作用的关注。肥大细胞可释放出多种生物活性介质，作用于脂肪组织，影响脂肪组织中细胞外基质的重塑和各种炎性细胞的活动。更多研究还表明肥大细胞可能参与到肥胖、糖尿病等代谢性疾病的发病机理，影响疾病的进展。本文总结近年来对脂肪组织中肥大细胞研究的一系列成果，对肥大细胞在脂肪组织中的生物学作用进行综述。     

SNARE complex-mediated degranulation in mast cells

Mast cell function and dysregulation is important in the development and progression of allergic and autoimmune disease. Identifying novel proteins involved in mast cell function and disease progression is the first step in the design of new therapeutic strategies. Soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (SNAREs) are a family of proteins demonstrated to mediate the transport and fusion of secretory vesicles to the membrane in mast cells, leading to the subsequent release of the vesicle cargo through an exocytotic mechanism. The functional role[s] of specific SNARE family member complexes in mast cell degranulation has not been fully elucidated. Here, we review recent and historical data on the expression, formation and localization of various SNARE proteins and their complexes in murine and human mast cells. We summarize the functional data identifying the key SNARE family members that appear to participate in mast cell degranulation. Furthermore, we discuss the utilization of RNA interference (RNAi) methods to validate SNARE function and the use of siRNA as a therapeutic approach to the treatment of inflammatory disease. These studies provide an overview of the specific SNARE proteins and complexes that serve as novel targets for the development of new therapies to treat allergic and autoimmune disease.     

The multitasking mast cell: positive and negative roles in the progression of autoimmunity

Among the potential outcomes of an aberrantly functioning immune system are allergic disease and autoimmunity. Although it has been assumed that the underlying mechanisms mediating these conditions are completely different, recent evidence shows that mast cells provide a common link. Mast cells reside in most tissues, are particularly prevalent at sites of Ag entry, and act as sentinel cells of the immune system. They express many inflammatory mediators that affect both innate and adaptive cellular function. They contribute to pathologic allergic inflammation but also serve an important protective role in bacterial and parasite infections. Given the proinflammatory nature of autoimmune responses, it is not surprising that studies using murine models of autoimmunity clearly implicate mast cells in the initiation and/or progression of autoimmune disease. In this review, we discuss the defined and hypothesized mechanisms of mast cell influence on autoimmune diseases, including their surprising and newly discovered role as anti-inflammatory cells.     

The molecular role of mast cells in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease

Human atherosclerosis has many characteristics of an inflammatory disorder. Recent data suggest that mast cells might be important in the pathogenesis of atherosclerotic disease. By secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, mast cells can assist in the recruitment of monocytes and lymphocytes into vascular tissue, thereby propagating the inflammatory response. Mast cell enzymes might activate pro-metalloproteinases, thereby destabilizing atheromatous plaques. Mast cells can facilitate foam cell formation by promoting cholesterol accumulation. However, mast cell tryptase could slow thrombus formation at sites of plaque rupture by interfering with coagulation. Therefore, mast cells can modulate coronary artery disease by both facilitatory and inhibitory pathways.     

肥大细胞在肿瘤发生发展中的作用

肥大细胞是人体主要免疫细胞之一,因其作为导致过敏反应发生的最直接效应细胞而著称.肥大细胞最主要的结构特征为其胞内含有大量嗜碱性颗粒,该颗粒内又富含种类众多的生物活性物质,包括组胺、血管内皮生长因子(vascular endothelial growth factor,VEGF)、成纤维细胞生长因子(fibroblast...     

Expression of mast cell proteases correlates with mast cell maturation and angiogenesis during tumor progression

Tumor cells are surrounded by infiltrating inflammatory cells, such as lymphocytes, neutrophils, macrophages, and mast cells. A body of evidence indicates that mast cells are associated with various types of tumors. Although role of mast cells can be directly related to their granule content, their function in angiogenesis and tumor progression remains obscure. This study aims to understand the role of mast cells in these processes. Tumors were chemically induced in BALB/c mice and tumor progression was divided into Phases I, II and III. Phase I tumors exhibited a large number of mast cells, which increased in phase II and remained unchanged in phase III. The expression of mouse mast cell protease (mMCP)-4, mMCP-5, mMCP-6, mMCP-7, and carboxypeptidase A were analyzed at the 3 stages. Our results show that with the exception of mMCP-4 expression of these mast cell chymase (mMCP-5), tryptases (mMCP-6 and 7), and carboxypeptidase A (mMC-CPA) increased during tumor progression. Chymase and tryptase activity increased at all stages of tumor progression whereas the number of mast cells remained constant from phase II to III. The number of new blood vessels increased significantly in phase I, while in phases II and III an enlargement of existing blood vessels occurred. In vitro, mMCP-6 and 7 are able to induce vessel formation. The present study suggests that mast cells are involved in induction of angiogenesis in the early stages of tumor development and in modulating blood vessel growth in the later stages of tumor progression.     

c-Fos as a regulator of degranulation and cytokine production in FcepsilonRI-activated mast cells

The AP-1 complex is composed of c-Jun and c-Fos and is a key component in the regulation of proinflammatory genes. Mast cells play a significant role in the initiation of many inflammatory responses, such as allergy and allergy-associated diseases. In the present work, we characterized the role of c-Fos in mast cell function by investigating IL-3-dependent cell proliferation, degranulation capability, and cytokine expression in c-Fos-deficient mice. In c-Fos-deficient mast cells, we found that FcepsilonRI-mediated degranulation was significantly inhibited, which correlates with the reduced expression of SWAP-70, VAMP-7, and Synaptotagmin I genes, which are involved directly in the degranulation process. These findings show that c-Fos plays an important role in FcepsilonRI-mediated regulation of mast cell function.     

Age-induced reprogramming of mast cell degranulation

Mast cell degranulation can initiate an acute inflammatory response and contribute to the progression of chronic diseases. Alteration in the cellular programs that determine the requirement for mast cell degranulation would therefore have the potential to dramatically impact disease severity. Mast cells are exposed to increased levels of PGE2 during inflammation. We show that although PGE2 does not trigger the degranulation of dermal mast cells of young animals, in older mice, PGE2 is a potent mast cell stimulator. Intradermal administration of PGE2 leads to an EP3 receptor-dependent degranulation of mast cells, with the number of degranulated cells approaching levels observed in IgE- and Ag-treated controls. Taken together, these studies suggest that the ability of PGE2 to initiate mast cell degranulation changes in the aging animal. Therefore, elevated PGE2 levels might provide an important pathway by which mast cells are engaged to participate in inflammatory responses in the elderly patient.     

Role of vascular smooth muscle cell in the inflammation of atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is a pathologic process occurring within the artery, in which many cell types, including T cell, macrophages, endothelial cells, and smooth muscle cells, interact, and cause chronic inflammation, in response to various inner- or outer-cellular stimuli. Atherosclerosis is characterized by a complex interaction of inflammation, lipid deposition, vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation, endothelial dysfunction, and extracellular matrix remodeling, which will result in the formation of an intimal plaque. Although the regulation and function of vascular smooth muscle cells are important in the progression of atherosclerosis, the roles of smooth muscle cells in regulating vascular inflammation are rarely focused upon, compared to those of endothelial cells or inflammatory cells. Therefore, in this review, we will discuss here how smooth muscle cells contribute or regulate the inflammatory reaction in the progression of atherosclerosis, especially in the context of the activation of various membrane receptors, and how they may regulate vascular inflammation. [BMB Reports 2014; 47(1): 1-7]     

慢性炎症与动脉粥样硬化关系的研究进展

动脉粥样硬化（atherosclerosis,AS）的发病机制非常复杂,对其研究经历了一个半世纪,直到1999年Ross提出”动脉粥样硬化是一种炎症性疾病”,各种炎症细胞和炎症因子参与动脉粥样硬化的发生和发展过程。已有众多的基础和临床研究都证实炎症在AS中的重要作用,但仍需要对AS发生发展的深入研究,使我们更准确认识和有效的防治AS。本文就近年来慢性炎症与动脉粥样硬化关系的研究进展作一综述。