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Investigating Mast Cell Secretory Granules; from Biosynthesis to Exocytosis
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Induction of mast cell apoptosis by a novel secretory granule-mediated pathway

Fabio R Melo1, Sara Wernersson, Gunnar Pejler

  • 1Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7011, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden.

Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)
|November 13, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Researchers identified a novel pathway to induce apoptosis in mast cells (MCs) by targeting their secretory granules. This discovery offers a potential therapeutic strategy for diseases involving detrimental mast cell functions.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Cell Biology
  • Pathology

Background:

  • Mast cells (MCs) play detrimental roles in various diseases.
  • Targeting MCs for apoptosis is a potential therapeutic strategy.
  • Currently, no specific agent selectively induces MC apoptosis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate a novel pathway for inducing mast cell apoptosis.
  • To explore the therapeutic potential of targeting mast cell secretory granules.

Main Methods:

  • Studying mast cell apoptosis induced by secretory granule permeabilization.
  • Analyzing the release of serglycin-protease complexes.
  • Investigating the proteolytic activation of proapoptotic compounds.

Main Results:

  • Mast cells are highly sensitive to apoptosis induced by secretory granule permeabilization.
  • Damage to secretory granules releases active proteases into the cytosol.
  • Released proteases can trigger apoptosis via cytosolic proapoptotic compounds.

Conclusions:

  • A novel, secretory granule-mediated pathway for inducing mast cell apoptosis has been identified.
  • This pathway involves the release and activation of granular proteases.
  • This finding presents a promising avenue for developing MC-targeted therapies.

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