There are many receptors on mast cells. The molecules that bind to these receptors are called ligands. Different receptors can cause activation in different ways.
I am posting this table a little at a time as I anticipate getting a lot of questions about it. I put this together for my own reference and I didn’t keep track of all sources. I am hoping to go through the literature again and track this at some point.
These tables are not exhaustive, and I’ll add to them over time as I have the chance.
| Receptor | Ligand (molecules that bind to the receptor) | Result |
| 0X40 | 0X40 ligand | Suppression of mast cell activation |
| A2A, A2B, A3 | Adenosine | At low concentration, degranulation:
histamine, tryptase, carboxypeptide, chymase, heparin, chondroitin De novo: IL-1b, IL-3, IL-4, IL-8, IL-13
At high concentration, inhibits FcεRI degranulation |
| C3α receptor | C3α | De novo: IL-3, IL-4, IL-5 IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-13, TNF, GM-CSF, CCL2, CCL3, CCL5
Degranulation : histamine, tryptase, carboxypeptide, chymase, heparin, chondroitin
Increases IgE and IgG dependent degranulation |
| C5α receptor | C5α | Degranulation : histamine, tryptase, carboxypeptide, chymase, heparin, chondroitin
|
| Cannabinoid CB2 receptor | 2-arachidonoyl-glycerol, anandamide | Suppression of mast cell activity |
| CCR1 | CCL3 (MIP1α), CCL5 (RANTES) | Degranulation : histamine, tryptase, carboxypeptide, chymase, heparin, chondroitin |
| CCR3 | CCL11 | No degranulation Increases IgE dependent secretion: IL-3, IL-4, IL-5 IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-13, TNF, GM-CSF, CCL2, CCL3, CCL5 |
| CCR4 | CCL2 (MCP-1) | No degranulation, reléase of cytokines |
| CCR5 | CCL3 (MIP1α), CCL5 (RANTES), CCL4 (MIP1β) | No degranulation, reléase of cytokines |
| CD200 receptor | CD200 (OX2) | Inhibitory |
| Cd300α receptor | Eosinophilic granule proteins | Inhibitory |
| CD47 (integrin associated protein, IAP) | Integrins | Histamine secretion |
| CD48 | E. coli, M. tuberculosis | Degranulation : histamine, tryptase, carboxypeptide, chymase, heparin, chondroitin
De novo : TNFa, IL-6 |
| CD72 | CD100 | Inhibits CKIT activation |
| CKIT receptor tyrosine kinase (CD117) | Stem cell factor | De novo: PGD2, leukotriene B4, leukotriene C4, PAF, IL-3, IL-4, IL-5 IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-13, TNF, GM-CSF, CCL2, CCL3, CCL5
Increased IgE dependent degranulation: histamine, tryptase, carboxypeptide, chymase, heparin, chondroitin |
| Corticotropin/ corticotropin releasing hormone receptor | CRH, urocortin | Secretion of VEGF |
| CX3CL1 | Fractalkine | No degranulation |
| CX3CR1 | Chemokines | No degranulation, reléase of cytokines |
| Estrogen receptor | Estrogens | Increased IgE dependent degranulation: histamine, tryptase, carboxypeptide, chymase, heparin, chondroitin |
| ETA | Endothelin-1 | Degranulation: Histamine, tryptase, carboxypeptide, chymase, heparin, chondroitin, renin
De novo: TNFa, IL-6, VEGF, TGF-b1 |
| ETB | Endothelin-1 | Unknown |
| FcαR (CD89) | IgA | Unknown |
| FcγRIIA, FcγRI, FcγRIIIA | IgG/antigen | Degranulation: Histamine, tryptase, carboxypeptide, chymase, heparin, chondroitin, renin
De novo: |
| FcγRIIIB | IgG/antigen | Cannot induce activation |
| FcεRI | IgE with or without antigen | Degranulation: Histamine, tryptase, carboxypeptide, chymas, heparin, chondroitin, renin
De novo: |