The role of galanin in the differentiation of mucosal mast cells in mice

Mast cells are generally classified into two phenotypically distinct populations: mucosal-type mast cells (MMCs) and connective tissue-type mast cells (CTMCs). However, the molecular basis determining the different characteristics of the mast cell subclasses still remains unclear. Unfortunately, the number of mast cells that can be obtained from tissues is limited, which makes it difficult to study the function of each mast cell subclass. Here, we report the generation and characterization of MMCs and CTMCs derived from mouse BM mast cells (BMMCs). We found that the expression of galanin receptor 3 was elevated in MMCs when compared to the expression in CTMCs. Moreover, intraperitoneal injection of a galanin antagonist reduced MMCs and inhibited the inflammation of dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis in mice. Therefore, these results suggest that galanin promotes MMC differentiation in vivo, and provide important insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the differentiation of mast cell subclasses.