Polosa R
Istituto di Malattie dell'Apparato Respiratorio, Università degli Studi di Catania.
Ann Ital Med Int. 1995 Apr-Jun;10(2):126-33.
The mast cell, by virtue of its capacity to release a wide range of pro-inflammatory mediators, its abundant expression of the high-affinity receptor for immunoglobulin E and its strategic location in proximity to blood vessels, mucosal surfaces and smooth muscle, had long been considered as the central effector cell in asthma and other allergic diseases. In recent years there has been a tendency for less importance to be attached to this cell as a central effector in asthma. New findings, however, have led to a resurgence of interest in the mast cell and supported a reevaluation of its role. In particular the discovery that mast cells are a potential source of cytokines has suggested new ways in which mast cell activation could also participate in more persistent and even chronic inflammatory responses which we know are central to the pathophysiology of asthma. This review will address: 1) the main aspects of mast cell biology which are relevant to asthma with particular reference to mediators produced and their biological functions; 2) the evidence implicating the mast cell as an effector cell in both the immediate and delayed airway responses to allergen exposure; 3) how acknowledgement that mast cells act as a source of cytokines permits speculation on their involvement in the chronic inflammatory response of asthma.
肥大细胞凭借其释放多种促炎介质的能力、免疫球蛋白E高亲和力受体的丰富表达以及在血管、黏膜表面和平滑肌附近的关键位置，长期以来一直被视为哮喘和其他过敏性疾病的核心效应细胞。近年来，这种细胞作为哮喘核心效应细胞的重要性有所降低。然而，新的发现重新引发了对肥大细胞的兴趣，并支持重新评估其作用。特别是发现肥大细胞是细胞因子的潜在来源，这提示了肥大细胞激活可能参与更持久甚至慢性炎症反应的新途径，而我们知道这些炎症反应是哮喘病理生理学的核心。本综述将探讨：1）与哮喘相关的肥大细胞生物学的主要方面，特别提及所产生的介质及其生物学功能；2）肥大细胞作为效应细胞参与过敏原暴露后即刻和延迟气道反应的证据；3）认识到肥大细胞作为细胞因子来源如何促使人们推测其在哮喘慢性炎症反应中的作用。
