C3a Enhances Nerve Growth Factor-Induced NFAT Activation and Chemokine Production in a Human Mast Cell Line, HMC-1

Activation of cell surface G protein-coupled receptors leads to transphosphorylation and activation of a number of receptor tyrosine kinases. Human mast cells express G protein-coupled receptors for the complement component C3a (C3aR) and high affinity nerve growth factor (NGF) receptor tyrosine kinase, TrkA. To determine whether C3a cross-regulates TrkA signaling and biological responses, we used a human mast cell-line, HMC-1, that natively expresses both receptors. We found that NGF caused tyrosine phosphorylation of TrkA, resulting in a sustained Ca2+ mobilization, NFAT activation, extracellular-signal regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation, and chemokine, macrophage inflammatory protein-1β (MIP-1β) production. In contrast, C3a induced a transient Ca2+ mobilization and ERK phosphorylation but failed to stimulate TrkA phosphorylation, NFAT activation, or MIP-1β production. Surprisingly, C3a significantly enhanced NGF-induced NFAT activation, ERK phosphorylation, and MIP-1β production. Pertussis toxin, a Gi/o inhibitor, selectively blocked priming by C3a but had no effect on NGF-induced responses. Mitogen-activated protein/ERK kinase inhibitor U0126 caused ∼30% inhibition of NGF-induced MIP-1β production but had no effect on priming by C3a. However, cyclosporin A, an inhibitor of calcineurin-mediated NFAT activation, caused substantial inhibition of NGF-induced MIP-1β production both in the absence and presence of C3a. These data demonstrate that NGF caused tyrosine phosphorylation of TrkA to induce chemokine production in HMC-1 cells via a pathway that mainly depends on sustained Ca2+ mobilization and NFAT activation. Furthermore, C3a enhances NGF-induced transcription factor activation and chemokine production via a G protein-mediated pathway that does not involve TrkA phosphorylation.