ACLS
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Conti, P.
Right arrow Articles by Theoharides, T. C.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Conti, P.
Right arrow Articles by Theoharides, T. C.
Annals of Clinical & Laboratory Science 37:315-322 (2007)
© 2007 Association of Clinical Scientists

Review

Role of Mast Cells in Tumor Growth

Pio Conti1, Maria L. Castellani1, Durasamy Kempuraj2, Vincenzo Salini5, Jacopo Vecchiet6, Stefano Tetè7, Filiberto Mastrangelo7, Alessandro Perrella8, Maria Anna De Lutiis9, Michael Tagen2 and Theoharis C. Theoharides2,3,4
1 Department of Oncology and Neuroscience, Medical School, University of Chieti, Chieti, Italy; 2 Departments of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 3 Biochemistry, and 4 Internal Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA; 5 Department of Medicine and Aging, Medical School, University of Chieti-Pescara, Italy; 6 Clinic of Infectious Diseases, Medical School, University of Chieti-Pescara, Italy; 7 Dental School, University of Chieti-Pescara, Italy; 8 Department of Infectious Diseases, Cotugno Hospital, Naples, Italy; and 9 Biology Division, University of Chieti-Pescara, Italy.

Address correspondence to Professor Pio Conti, Ph.D., Immunology Division, Department of Oncology and Neuro-science, University of Chieti, Via dei Vestini, 66100 Chieti, Italy; tel 39 0871 3555293; fax 39 0871 561635; e-mail pconti{at}unich.it.

The growth of malignant tumors is determined in large part by the proliferative capacity of the tumor cells. Clinical observations and animal experiments have established that tumor cells elicit immune responses. Histopathologic studies show that many tumors are surrounded by mononuclear cell and mast cell infiltrates. Mast cells are ubiquitous in the body and are critical for allergic reactions. Increasing evidence indicates that mast cells secrete proinflammatory cytokines and are involved in neuro-inflammatory processes and cancer. Mast cells accumulate in the stroma surrounding certain tumors, especially mammary adenocarcinoma, and the molecules they secrete can benefit the tumor. However, mast cells can also increase at the site of tumor growth and participate in tumor rejection. Mast cells may be recruited by tumor-derived chemoattractants and selectively secrete molecules such as growth factors, histamine, heparin, VEGF, and IL-8, as well as proteases that permit the formation of new blood vessels and metastases. Tumor mast cell intersections play regulatory and modulatory roles affecting various aspects of tumor growth. Discovery of these new roles of mast cells further complicates the understanding of tumor growth. This review focuses on the strategic importance of mast cells to the progression of tumors, and proposes a revised immune effector mechanism of mast cell involvement in tumor growth.

Keywords: mast cells, cancer, tumor cell growth, cytokines, histamine, heparin, angiogenesis, proteases






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 2007 by the Association of Clinical Scientists.