| First Author | Moriyama M | Year | 2005 |
| Journal | J Exp Med | Volume | 202 |
| Issue | 2 | Pages | 217-24 |
| PubMed ID | 16009716 | Mgi Jnum | J:100520 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3588797 | Doi | 10.1084/jem.20050248 |
| Citation | Moriyama M, et al. (2005) The neuropeptide neuromedin U promotes inflammation by direct activation of mast cells. J Exp Med 202(2):217-24 |
| abstractText | Neuromedin U (NMU) is a neuropeptide that is expressed in the gastrointestinal tract and central nervous system. NMU interacts with two G protein-coupled receptors, NMU-R1 and NMU-R2. Whereas NMU-R2 localizes predominantly to nerve cells, NMU-R1 is expressed in peripheral tissues including lymphocytes and monocytes, suggesting a role of NMU in immunoregulation. However, the functions of NMU in peripheral tissues have not been clarified. In this study, using NMU-deficient mice, we first demonstrated that NMU plays an important role in mast cell-mediated inflammation. Complete Freund's adjuvant-induced mast cell degranulation as well as edema and neutrophil infiltration, which occurred weakly in mast cell-deficient WBB6F(1)-W/W(v) mice, did not occur in NMU-deficient mice. Moreover, intraplantar injection of NMU into paws induced early inflammatory responses such as mast cell degranulation, vasodilation, and plasma extravasation in WT mice but not in WBB6F(1)-W/W(v) mice. NMU-R1 was highly expressed in primary mast cells, and NMU induced Ca(2+) mobilization and degranulation in peritoneal mast cells. These data indicate that NMU promotes mast cell-mediated inflammation; therefore, NMU receptor antagonists could be a novel target for pharmacological inhibition of mast cell-mediated inflammatory diseases. |
