Ligation of the high-affinity Fc receptor for IgE (FcɛRI) promotes mast cell activation. Now, a role for a truncated splice variant of the FcɛRI β-subunit (tFcɛRIβ) in mast cell degranulation has been identified. Findings by Cruse et al. suggest that full-length FcɛRIβ might inhibit mast cell degranulation. By contrast, tFcɛRIβ promoted mast cell degranulation and the release of interleukin-8, acting downstream of calcium mobilization. Notably, mast cell activation promoted the translocation of the tFcɛRIβ complex to the Golgi apparatus, where it initiated microtubule formation. Thus, tFcɛRI could be targeted in the future to inhibit the microtubule-dependent degranulation of mast cells and their release of pro-inflammatory mediators in patients with allergies.
References
Cruse, G. et al. A truncated splice-variant of the FcɛRIβ receptor subunit is critical for microtubule formation and degranulation in mast cells. Immunity 2 May 2013 (10.1016/j.immuni.2013.04.007)
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Papatriantafyllou, M. Distal signalling in mast cell degranulation. Nat Rev Immunol 13, 393 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/nri3473
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nri3473
