ABCA1 and dendritic cells

mast cells

Immune cells that release histamine and other molecules in allergic reactions

cholesterol

part of cell membranes that affects how cells send out signals

ABCA1

acts like a pump, pushing cholesterol out of mast cells

dendritic cells

Immune cells that "present" antigens and help T cells learn what to attack

T cells

Immune soldiers that carry out responses after dendritic cells train them

mast cell function

Release granules or packets of histamine, proteases, or cytokines

cytokines

messenger proteins like TNF, IL-4, IL-13 that guide dendritic cell maturation

If cholesterol flux changes, it might change how mast cells ______ their inflammatory signals

release

If cholesterol flux changes mast cell behavior, _______ _____ might “learn” differently

dendritic cells

If ABCA1 exports ______ in mast cells, it changes what mast cells release, may lead to _____ cells maturing differently

cholesterol, dendritic

If dendritic cells don’t ______ normally → they won’t _____ T cells effectively.

mature, activate

End result

could alter the whole initiation of allergic inflammation

heterogeneity

mast cell phenotype (appearance, function, what they release) changes depending on the tissue they live in and the signals they get.

triggers of activation pathways

IgE, complement proteins, neuropeptides, danger signals, infections

allergy/asthma

release histamine, leukotrienes, cytokines

autoimmunity

sometimes amplify damaging inflammation

cancer

can be either helpful (anti-tumor) or harmful (support tumor growth)

Fibrosis/tissue repair

release growth factors that remodel tissue

lipid metabolism

changes mast cell signaling