Background: Although best known for their role in allergy and anaphylaxis, mast cells (MCs) play an important protective role against various microbial infections e.g. the Gram-positive pathogen Staphylococcus (S.) aureus1,2. The main function of MCs in the host immune response is the release of inflammatory mediators to recruit other immune cells. Additionally they are able to eliminate bacteria by phagocytosis and by releasing mast cell extracellular traps (MCETs)2. To study the antimicrobial function of immune cells ex vivo, cells are commonly cultivated under atmospheric oxygen concentrations, although the physiological oxygen conditions in vivo are significantly lower in most tissues 3. Especially during an infection, oxygen levels locally decrease.
Hypothesis: Several studies suggest that the antimicrobial mechanisms of cells of the innate immune responses differ significantly at hypoxic oxygen levels during an inflammation compared to normoxic levels used in classical cell culture systems3.
Aim: The goal of this study was to investigate the effect of hypoxia on MC activity.
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