Table 1

Selected mast cell mediators and their potential roles in arthritis

Mediator
Some relevant functions

Granules
          Histamine
Vascular permeability, leukocyte recruitment, fibroblast/chondrocyte activation
          Heparin
Angiogenesis, osteoclast differentiation and activation
          Neutral proteases
Matrix degradation, leukocyte recruitment, fibroblast activation
          TNF
Leukocyte recruitment, fibroblast/chondrocyte activation
Eicosanoid mediators
          PGD2
Vascular permeability, neutrophil recruitment
          LTB4
Vascular permeability, leukocyte recruitment and activation
          Cysteinyl leukotrienes
Vascular permeability, immunomodulatory (LTC4)
Cytokines/chemokines
          IL-1
Leukocyte recruitment, fibroblast/chondrocyte activation, angiogenesis
          IL-2
Lymphocyte stimulation
          IL-3
Leukocyte growth factor
          IL-4
Immunomodulatory, profibrotic
          IL-6
Activation of leukocytes and fibroblasts
          IL-8
Neutrophil recruitment
          IL-10
Immunomodulatory
          IL-13
Immunomodulatory, B cell stimulation
          IL-18
Angiogenesis, lymphocyte stimulation
          TNF
Leukocyte recruitment, fibroblast/chondrocyte activation, angiogenesis
          IFN-γ
Activation of synovial macrophages
          TGF-β
Immunomodulatory, fibroblast mitogen, angiogenesis
          PDGF
Fibroblast mitogen
          VEGF
Fibroblast mitogen, angiogenesis
          bFGF
Fibroblast mitogen
          NGF
Fibroblast mitogen
          MCP-1
Leukocyte recruitment
          MIP-1α, MIP-1β
Leukocyte recruitment, osteoclast differentiation
          RANTES
Leukocyte recruitment

bFGF, basic fibroblast growth factor; IFN, interferon; IL, interleukin; LTB4, leukotriene B4; LTC4, leukotriene C4; MCP-1, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1; MIP, macrophage inflammatory protein; NGF, nerve growth factor; PDGF, platelet-derived growth factor; PGD2, prostaglandin D2; RANTES, regulated upon activation, normal T-cell expressed and secreted; TGF-β, transforming growth factor-β; TNF, tumor necrosis factor; VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor. See text for references.

Nigrovic and Lee Arthritis Res Ther 2005 7:1   doi:10.1186/ar1446