Inhibition of macrophage-mediated low density lipoprotein oxidation by stimulated rat serosal mast cells.

Mast cells and macrophages coexist in the human arterial intima where oxidation of low density lipoproteins (LDL) also takes place during atherosclerosis. To investigate whether mast cells play a role in macrophage-mediated oxidation of LDL, a model system was designed in which mast cells and macrophages were cocultured in incubation medium containing LDL. Stimulation of rat serosal mast cells to induce exocytosis of their cytoplasmic granules was found to inhibit macrophage-mediated oxidation of LDL. The inhibitory effect depended on the ability of mast cell-derived histamine, released from the exocytosed granules into the medium, to bind the copper ions necessary for propagation of the macrophage-initiated oxidation of LDL. In addition to binding free copper ions, the mast cell-derived histamine was also capable of inhibiting oxidation of LDL propagated by copper ions bound to the apolipoprotein B component of the LDL particle. The results indicate that mast cells may prevent cell-mediated oxidation of LDL and imply a potentially preventive role for the mast cell in atherosclerosis.