Inhibition of The Stem Cell Factor-Induced Migration of Mast Cells by Dexamethasone

Mast cells accumulation can be causally related with several allergic inflammations. Previous work has demonstrated that glucocorticoids decreased tissue mast cell number and stem cell factor (SCF)-induced migration of mast cells required p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation. In the present study, we investigated the effects of dexamethasone on SCF-induced migration of rat peritoneal mast cells (RPMCs). SCF significantly induced migration of RPMCs at 4 h. Dexamethasone dose-dependently inhibited SCF-induced migration of RPMCs (about 90.1% at 100 nM, P<0.05). MAPK p38 inhibitor, SB203580 (20 ${\mu}$M) also inhibited the SCF-induced migration. The ability of SCF to enhance morphological alteration and F -actin formation was also abolished by treatment of dexamethasone. Dexamethasone inhibited SCF-induced p38 MAPK activation to near basal level and induced the MKP-1 expression. In addition, SCF-induced inflammatory cytokine production was significantly inhibited by treatment of dexamethasone or SB203580 (p<0.01). Our results show that dexamethasone potently regulates SCF -induced migration, p38 MAPK activation and inflammatory cytokine production through expression of MKP-l protein in RPMCs. Such modulation may have functional consequences during dexamethasone treatment, especially mast cell-mediated allergic inflammation disorders.