Lipoteichoic acid improves the capability of mast cells in the host defense system against bacteria.

Objectives And Design: We investigated the effects of microbial components on the uptake of microbes by mast cells (MCs), and studied the change in cytokine production in MCs after bacterial uptake.

Material Or Subjects: LAD2 human mast cells, cord-blood and peripheral-blood derived MCs were employed to analyze their surface molecule expression and cytokine generation by flow cytometry. Bacterial internalization in these MCs was observed by confocal microscopy and flow cytometry.