Pharmacology of IgE-mediated desensitization of human basophils: effects of protein kinase C and Src-family kinase inhibitors

Abstract IgE-mediated down-regulation of secretion from basophils and mast cells is an important component of the overall cellular response that determines the ultimate extent of mediator release. The down-regulatory process that occurs during active secretion has also been associated with the methodological phenomenon called desensitization, but the mechanisms underlying desensitization are not understood. A variety of studies have suggested that activation of protein kinase C (PKC) results in down-regulation of IgE-mediated secretion so we have examined the effect of the PKC inhibitors Ro-31–8220 (3-[1-[3-amidinothio)propyl-1 H -indol-3-yl]-3-(1-methyl-1 H -indol-3-yl)maleimide) and bis-indolylmaleimide II on desensitization in human basophils. At concentrations that have been shown previously to inhibit PKC-mediated functions in basophils completely, these two drugs had no effect on IgE-mediated desensitization. We did find, however, that the src-family kinase inhibitors PP1 [4-amino-5-(4-methylphenyl)-7-( t -butyl)pyrazolo[3,4- d ]pyrimidine] and PP2 [4-amino-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-7-( t -butyl)pyrazolo[3,4- d ]pyrimidine] inhibited desensitization as well as secretion. These data suggest that PKC has little role in down-regulating the IgE-mediated basophil response. However, like the activation signaling cascade, the desensitization process is dependent on the activation of src family kinases.