The Interplay Between Mast Cell and Influenza Virus
The Interplay Between Mast Cell and Influenza Virus
Hassan Karami,1,*
1. Department of Virology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Introduction: Mast cell (MC) is a granule-containing tissue sentinel cell with a key role in immediate anti-viral innate immunity. This cell is abundant and protective in airway responding pathogenic respiratory viruses like Influenza viruses within minutes. Here, we will explore the relationship between MCs and the Influenza virus discussing the role of these cells in the pathogenesis of the virus infection.
Methods: For the present study, we reviewed three scientific databases including PubMed, Google Scholar, and Science Direct with the following keywords “Influenza virus” and “mast cell” without a time limit to find the most relevant studies in line with our purpose.
Results: In humans, MCs are well infected with the Influenza virus through an engagement of the expressed pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs), however, this infection is abortive in type and has a limitation in viral replication. Directly, the Influenza virus can activate MCs. Dynamically, this activation is a virus-to-cell signal-dependent resulting in an excessive immunity against the virus. This can also be mediated by MC-derived mediators such as tryptase, histamine, cytokine, and chemokines with profound biological effects. These molecules lead to immune cell maturation, recruitment, and activation as well as pulmonary inflammation. Moreover, accumulating mast cell progenitors has also been found in the site of infection following the release of the mediators. Collectively, these events resulting in immunopathological lesions left in the lower respiratory tract. Upon infection with Influenza virus, the population of MCs in pulmonary tissue and the levels of histamine metabolites via calcium-dependent exocytosis pathway showing an increasing trend suggesting a possible role and a positive correlation for MCs in the process of inflammation which is observed during the infection of Influenza virus. MCs are also prone to cell death through the activation of the classical intrinsic pathway independent of MC activation.
Conclusion: MCs are important as they contribute to Influenza virus immunopathology. These cells can determine the course of infection and they can enhance the virus-mediated disease. Further studies are needed to find how MCs interact with respiratory viruses like the Influenza virus in a virus-cell interaction.