Rat mast cell lines bind to the vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and the mucosal addressin cell adhesion molecule-1 (MAdCAM-1)

Mast cells are key mediators of allergy and inflammation. Increased mast cell numbers are observed in the gut during helminth infestation and at many sites of inflammation. To determine whether mast cells express functional receptors for endothelial cell adhesion molecules, we studied the adhesion of two rat mucosal-type mast cell lines RBL-1 and RCMC-1 to transfected mucosal addressin cell adhesion molecule-1 (MAdCAM-1) and VCAM-1. Both mast cell lines expressed high levels of alpha(4) integrins on their surface and bound to CHO cells transfected with VCAM-1. Anti-alpha(4) mAbs, TA-2 and L25, inhibited the specific adhesion of the mast cells ta VCAM-1 by about 92 and 63%, respectively. Both of the mast cell lines also demonstrated an increased adhesion to CHO cells transfected with MAdCAM-1. The adhesion of RBL-1 to MAdCAM-1 was also significantly inhibited by the anti-alpha(4) mAbs TA-2, L25, and HP2/1 by 39, 76, and 42%, respectively. In addition, RBL-1 cells adhered to both VCAM-1 and MAdCAM-1 under both static and nonstatic (shear) conditions, and this was also inhibited by the anti-alpha(4) mAb TA-2. Thus, mucosal-type mast cell lines express functional alpha(4) integrins that can mediate adhesion to VCAM-1 and MAdCAM-1. These results suggest a mechanism for mast cell accumulation at sites of inflammation and in the gut.