IgE mediated triggering of rat basophil leukemia cells: lack of evidence for serine esterase activation.

Inhibition of mediator release from mast cells and basophils by diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP) and other organophosphorus compounds known to inhibit serine esterases has in the past led to the hypothesis that immunologic triggering of these cells involves an activatable serine esterase. In this study we have shown that two nonphosphorylating or poorly phosphorylating structural analogs of two potent phosphorylators inhibit release of incorporated serotonin from cultured rat basophil leukemia cells. We conclude that, by itself, inhibition of immunologic mast cell triggering by phosphorylating organophosphorus compounds can no longer be considered evidence for involvement of an activatable serine esterase in mast cell triggering.