The biologic activity of mast cell granules. VIII: In vivo and in vitro characterization of mast cell granule―derived inflammatory factors involved in rat late-phase reactions

Intradermal injections of isolated mast cell granules (MCGs), as well as solubilized high-molecular-weight (HMW) (greater than 10,000 daltons) and low-molecular-weight (LMW) (10,000 greater than MW greater than 500 daltons) fractionated granule constituents, can produce inflammatory responses termed late-phase reactions (LPRs). The identity and mechanism of action of various inflammatory factor(s) contained within these fractions is incompletely established. Since rat LPRs are neutrophil-dependent responses, we analyzed the inherent neutrophil chemoattractant potential of HMW and LMW granule fractions using a 48-well microchemotaxis chamber. Although both HMW and LMW fractions attracted rat neutrophils, the LMW fraction was less active at equivalent protein concentrations. Checkerboard analysis demonstrated that the HMW fraction enhanced random migration of neutrophils, indicating that the HMW fraction contains factors that are primarily chemokinetic. To analyze further the HMW fraction, solubilized MCGs were sequentially fractionated with XM300 (MW greater than 300,000 daltons), and YM100 (300,000 greater than MW greater than 100,000 daltons), XM50 (100,000 greater than MW greater than 50,000 daltons), and YM10 (50,000 greater than MW greater than 10,000 daltons) ultrafiltration membranes. This process revealed that most in vivo inflammation-provoking activity as well as the in vitro chemoattractant activity resided in the XM300 and YM100 retentate fractions. Two of the major constituents of the HMW fraction, heparin and chymase, were evaluated for their contribution to the chemoattraction. Purified MCG heparin did not evoke neutrophil migratory responses in vitro or in vivo. Sepharose 4B chromatography of solubilized MCG demonstrated a peak of inflammation-provoking activity beginning at the void volume and tapering off near the 400,000 MW range. This in vivo activity was clearly separable from the chymase activity and represents the HMW inflammatory factors. These results demonstrate that both HMW and LMW granule fractions contain inflammatory activities capable of producing LPR in vivo and suggest that enhancement of neutrophil migration at sites of mast cell degranulation is one mechanism of action.