MITF Downregulation Induces Death in Human Mast Cell Leukemia Cells and Impairs IgE-Dependent Degranulation.

Activating mutations in KIT (CD117) have been associated with several diseases, including gastrointestinal stromal tumors and mastocytosis. Rapidly progressing pathologies or drug resistance highlight the need for alternative treatment strategies. Previously, we reported that the adaptor molecule SH3 binding protein 2 (SH3BP2 or 3BP2) regulates KIT expression at the transcriptional level and microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) expression at the post-transcriptional level in human mast cells and gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) cell lines. Lately, we have found that the SH3BP2 pathway regulates MITF through miR-1246 and miR-5100 in GIST. In this study, miR-1246 and miR-5100 were validated by qPCR in the SH3BP2-silenced human mast cell leukemia cell line (HMC-1). MiRNA overexpression reduces MITF and MITF-dependent target expression in HMC-1. The same pattern was observed after MITF silencing. In addition, MITF inhibitor ML329 treatment reduces MITF expression and affects the viability and cell cycle progression in HMC-1. We also examine whether MITF downregulation affected IgE-dependent mast cell degranulation. MiRNA overexpression, MITF silencing, and ML329 treatment reduced IgE-dependent degranulation in LAD2- and CD34+-derived mast cells. These findings suggest MITF may be a potential therapeutic target for allergic reactions and deregulated KIT mast-cell-mediated disorders.

Adenosine Signaling in Mast Cells and Allergic Diseases.

Adenosine is a nucleoside involved in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases. Its effects are mediated through its binding to G protein-coupled receptors: A1, A2a, A2b and A3. The receptors differ in the type of G protein they recruit, in the effect on adenylyl cyclase (AC) activity and the downstream signaling pathway triggered. Adenosine can produce both an enhancement and an inhibition of mast cell degranulation, indicating that adenosine effects on these receptors is controversial and remains to be clarified. Depending on the study model, A1, A2b, and A3 receptors have shown anti- or pro-inflammatory activity. However, most studies reported an anti-inflammatory activity of A2a receptor. The precise knowledge of the adenosine mechanism of action may allow to develop more efficient therapies for allergic diseases by using selective agonist and antagonist against specific receptor subtypes.

MRGPRX2 signaling involves the Lysyl-tRNA synthetase and MITF pathway.

MRGPRX2, a G-protein-coupled-seven transmembrane domain receptor, is mainly expressed in mast cells and neurons and is involved in skin immunity and pain. It is implicated in the pathophysiology of non-IgE-mediated immediate hypersensitivity and has been related to adverse drug reactions. Moreover, a role has been proposed in asthma, atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, and chronic spontaneous urticaria. Although it has a prominent role in disease, its signaling transduction is poorly understood. This study shows that MRGPRX2 activation with substance P increased Lysyl t-RNA synthetase (LysRS) translocation to the nucleus. LysRS is a moonlighting protein with a dual role in protein translation and IgE signaling in mast cells. Upon allergen- IgE-FcεRI crosslinking, LysRS is translocated to the nucleus and activates microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) activity. In this study, we found that MRGPRX2 triggering led to MITF phosphorylation and increased MITF activity. Therefore, overexpression of LysRS increased MITF activity after MRGPRX2 activation. MITF silencing reduced MRGPRX2-dependent calcium influx and mast cell degranulation. Furthermore, a MITF pathway inhibitor, ML329, impaired MITF expression, calcium influx, and mast cell degranulation. Moreover, drugs such as atracurium, vancomycin, and morphine, reported to induce MRGPRX2-dependent degranulation, increased MITF activity. Altogether, our data show that MRGPRX2 signaling enhances MITF activity, and its abrogation by silencing or inhibition resulted in defective MRGPRX2 degranulation. We conclude that MRGPRX2 signaling involves the LysRS and MITF pathway. Thus, MITF and MITF-dependent targets may be considered therapeutic approaches to treat pathologies where MRGPRX2 is implicated.

SARS-CoV-2 vaccine excipients polyethylene glycol and trometamol do not induce mast cell degranulation, in an in vitro model for non-IgE-mediated hypersensitivity.

The development of vaccines against SARS-CoV2 brought about several challenges, including the management of hypersensitivity reactions to these formulations. The search for underlying mechanisms involved in these adverse events initially focused on excipients which may trigger mast cell activation responses via non-IgE pathways: polyethylene glycol and trometamol. We sought to determine whether these components, in their pure form, were capable of stimulating mast cells directly. To test this hypothesis, we used an in vitro model for non-IgE-mediated activation that has previously shown degranulation responses induced via MRGPRX2 with known drug agonists of the receptor. Human LAD2 mast cells were incubated with different concentrations (1, 10, 50 mg/ml) of trometamol and of purified polyethylene glycol/Macrogol (molecular weights: 2,000, 3,350, 4,000, and 6,000). Mast cell degranulation was assessed using a beta-hexosaminidase read-out. Interestingly, degranulation responses for all reagents tested showed no significant differences from those obtained from the negative control (basal degranulation). Receptor-silencing assays were therefore not conducted. In summary, purified PEG and trometamol did not induce mast cell degranulation in this in vitro model for the study of non-IgE mechanisms of drug hypersensitivity, previously shown to be useful in the investigation of MRGPRX2 ligands. Studies using complete vaccine formulations, lipid conjugates, and receptor gene variants are needed to further clarify mechanisms of vaccine hypersensitivity.