Synergistic action of interleukin-10 (IL-10) with IL-3, IL-4 and stem cell factor on colony formation from murine mast cells in culture.

We examined the effects of interleukin-10 (IL-10) on colony formation from two different types of murine mast cells, bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMC) and serosal mast cells (SMC), using a methylcellulose culture method. IL-10 alone did not induce colony formation from either phenotype. However, BMMC and SMC produced colonies in the presence of IL-10 in combinations with IL-3, IL-4 or stem cell factor (SCF), but they responded in different manners. IL-10 enhanced the IL-3-dependent colony formation from BMMC and induced the colony formation from BMMC synergistically with IL-4 or SCF dose-dependently, although IL-4 and SCF were not active alone. The most significant synergism was observed between IL-10 and IL-4. The addition of IL-10 to the cultures of BMMC in the presence of two or three factors enhanced the colony formation induced by IL-3 plus IL-4, and inhibited the colony formation induced by IL-3 plus SCF or IL-3, IL-4 plus SCF. In the colony formation from SMC, IL-10 synergized with IL-3 but not with IL-4 or SCF. IL-10 in combination with two or three factors enhanced the colony formation from SMC induced by IL-3 plus IL-4, but did not affect the colony formation induced by other combinations among IL-3, IL-4 and SCF. These findings indicate that IL-10 plays an important role in the proliferation of murine mast cells.