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Updated: Aug 30, 2026

Analyzing the Functions of Mast Cells In Vivo Using 'Mast Cell Knock-in' Mice
Published on: May 27, 2015
The Src kinase Lyn is a negative regulator of mast cell proliferation
Valerie Hernandez-Hansen1, Graham A Mackay, Clifford A Lowell
1Department of Pathology and Cancer Research and Treatment Center, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, CRF Rm. 205, 2325 Camino De Salud NE, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA. valh@unm.edu
Abstract:
Previous investigators have reported that deletion of the protein tyrosine kinase Lyn alters mast cell (MC) signaling responses but does not affect or reduces the cytokine-mediated proliferation of mouse bone marrow-derived MC (BMMC) precursors and of mature MC. We observed that Lyn-deficient mice have more peritoneal MC than wild-type (WT) mice. Studies to explore this unexpected result showed that Lyn(-/-) BM cells expand faster than WT cells in response to interleukin (IL)-3 and stem-cell factor over the 4-5 weeks required to produce a >95% pure population of granular, receptor with high affinity for immunoglobulin E-positive BMMC. Furthermore, differentiated Lyn(-/-) BMMC continue to proliferate more rapidly than WT BMMC and undergo less apoptosis in response to cytokine withdrawal. Additionally, Lyn(-/-) BMMC support greater IL-3-mediated phosphorylation of the prosurvival kinase, Akt, and the proliferative kinase, extracellular-regulated kinase 1/2. These results identify Lyn as a negative regulator of murine MC survival and proliferation.
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