Agarose/crystalline nanocellulose (CNC) composites promote bone marrow-derived mast cell integrity, degranulation and biomarker expression but inhibits production of de novo synthesized mediators

Crystalline nanocellulose (CNC), consisting of rod-like crystals 4-15 nm in diameter and 0.2-1 micrometer in length, were dispersed in an agarose matrix (12.5 percent w/v), and bone marrow derived mouse mast cells (BMMC) were cultured on the agarose/CNC composite. Culture on CNC/agarose matrix had no effect on BMMC degranulation in response to IgE/Ag or A23187. However, culture of BMMC on a CNC/agarose matrix inhibited A23187- and IgE/Ag-activated production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and other mediators such as IL-1beta, IL-4, IL-6, IL-13, MCP-1/CCL2, MMP-9 and RANTES by as much as 95 percent. These data demonstrate that culture of BMMCs on a CNC/agarose matrix promotes cell integrity, maintains expression of surface biomarkers such as FcRI and KIT and preserves the ability of BMMC to release pre-stored mediators in response to IgE/Ag and A23187. However, culture of BMMC on CNC/agarose matrix inhibits BMMC production of de novo synthesized mediators, suggesting that CNC may be altering specific phenotypic characteristics of these cells that are associated with late phase inflammatory responses.