Presence of tumour necrosis factor or a related factor in human basophil/mast cells.

Abstract

The observation that mast cell products and cachectin/tumour necrosis factor (TNF) mediate similar responses suggested an investigation of cultured human basophil/mast cells for production of TNF. Using in situ hybridization and the avidin biotin-complex (ABC) immunoperoxidase method, we have demonstrated the presence of TNF mRNA in the cytoplasm and TNF protein in the granules of individual human basophil/mast cells. The production of TNF by these cells could explain many of their reported functions.