Loss of Bladder Epithelium Induced by Cytolytic Mast Cell Granules

Abstract

Programmed death and shedding of epithelial cells is a powerful defense mechanism to reduce bacterial burden during infection but this activity cannot be indiscriminate because of the critical barrier function of the epithelium. We report that during cystitis, shedding of infected bladder epithelial cells (BECs) was preceded by the recruitment of mast cells (MCs) directly underneath the superficial epithelium where they docked and extruded their granules. MCs were responding to interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) secreted by BECs after inflammasome and caspase-1 signaling. Upon uptake of granule-associated chymase (mouse MC protease 4 [mMCPT4]), BECs underwent caspase-1-associated cytolysis and exfoliation. Thus, infected epithelial cells require a specific cue for cytolysis from recruited sentinel inflammatory cells before shedding.

Keywords

mast cell chymase; bladder exfoliation; apoptosis

Published in

Immunity
2016, volume: 45, number: 6, pages: 1258-1269
Publisher: CELL PRESS

SLU Authors

• Åbrink, Magnus

  • Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Immunology in the medical area

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.immuni.2016.11.003

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/80146