Skin Mast Cells Protect Mice Against Vaccinia Virus by Triggering Mast Cell Receptor S1PR2 and Releasing Antimicrobial Peptides

摘要

Mast cells (MCs) are well known effectors of allergic reactions and are considered sentinels in the skin and mucosa. In addition, through their production of cathelicidin, mast cells have the capacity to oppose invading pathogens. We therefore hypothesized that mast cells could act as sentinels in the skin against viral infections using antimicrobial peptides. Here, we demonstrate that mast cells react to Vaccinia virus (VV) and degranulate using a membrane-activated pathway that leads to antimicrobial peptide discharge and virus inactivation. This finding was supported using a mouse model of viral infection. Mast cell-deficient (Kit^wsh−/−) mice were more susceptible to skin VV infection than the wild-type animals, while Kit^wsh−/− mice reconstituted with mast cells in the skin showed a normal response to VV. Using mast cells derived from mice deficient in cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide, we showed that antimicrobial peptides are one important antiviral granule component in vivo skin infections.In conclusion, our paper demonstrates that: MC presence protects mice from VV skin infection. MC degranulation is required for protecting mice from VV. Neutralizing antibody to the L1 fusion entry protein of VV inhibits degranulation apparently by preventing S1PR2 activation by viral membrane lipids. Antimicrobial peptide release from mast cell granules is necessary to inactivate VV infectivity.