Mast cell changes, numbers and degranulations, of 264 cases of skin biopsy lesions were studied. An increase of mast cells was noted in congenital diseases; noninfectious erythematous, papullar, and squamous diseases; vascular diseases; bacterial diseases; fungal diseases; lipidoses; metabolic diseases; connective tissue diseases; tumors and cysts of the epidermis; tumors of epidermal appendages; tumors of fibrous tissue; tumors of vascular tissue; and benign tumors of melanocytes. The increase was noted mainly in the surrounding areas of the lesions rather than within the lesions. In only a few conditions; vascular diseases, connective tissue diseases, and tumors of vascular tissue, an increase of mast cells within the lesion was noted. With regard to the relation between mast cell changes and gross appearance of skin lesions, an increase of mast cells was observed in the surrounding areas of scally, vesicular, nodular or warty, and ulcerated lesions. Relationship between the degree of degranulation to the types of skin disease or gross appearance can not be clearly established. In all conditions, the increase of mast cells was intimately associated with formation of new fibrous connective tissue.
Cytoplasmic Granules/pathology ; Human ; Mast Cells/pathology* ; Skin Diseases/pathology*

Mast cell which is considered to participate in immune response has long been studied. However its true role in center nervous system is still unknown. Recently,mast cell has been found to play an important function during the process of multiple sclerosis and Wernicke's encephalopathy in the brain. Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory demyelinating disease, and Wernicke's encephalopathy is caused by deficiency of thiamine. Mast cell deteriorates the neuronal damage and the course of diseases by their mediators. Such studies may supply new idea on the therapy of these diseases.
Animals ; Brain ; pathology ; Humans ; Mast Cells ; metabolism ; pathology ; Multiple Sclerosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; Wernicke Encephalopathy ; metabolism ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of mast cells and interleukin-9 (IL-9) in B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL) development and its clinical significance.

METHODSThe expression level of CD117 in tumor tissues of 32 B-NHL patients was determined by Western blot. The infiltration of CD117⁺ mast cells (MCs) in human B-NHL tumor tissues was observed by immunohistochemistry staining. To evaluate the correlations between the data from CD117⁺ MCs and biological markers of human B-NHL, a Spearman correlation coefficient (rs) was calculated. IL-9 levels in sera of B-NHL patients were measured by ELISA. Effects of IL-9 on expressions of functional genes of mouse bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMCs) were detected by real-time quantitative RT-PCR.

RESULTSThe expression of CD117 was upregulated significantly in human B-cell NHL involved tissues when compared with that of controls (0.0551±0.0064 vs 0.0192±0.0072, P<0.01). Infiltration of more CD117⁺ MCs was found in tissues from B-cell NHL subjects compared with that of controls. IL-9 level in serum samples from patients with B-cell NHL was higher than that from healthy controls. Addition of rIL-9 to the culture gave rise to increase in the purity of mouse BMMCs in the first three weeks. In vitro culture experiments showed that the addition of IL-9 could induce the differentiation of mouse BMMC and the expressions of MC-related genes, including CD117, Fcer1α, Mcpt1 and Mcpt5.

CONCLUSIONOur study showed that IL-9 promoted immune response mediated by MCs, and probably played important roles in B-NHL growth. Pharmacological or targeted inhibition of mast cells or IL-9 activity may provide new strategy for B-cell NHL therapy.

Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Humans ; Interleukin-9 ; blood ; Lymphoma, B-Cell ; pathology ; Male ; Mast Cells ; immunology ; Mice

OBJECTIVETo investigate changes of brain mast cells after transient global ischemia in rats.

METHODSTransient global ischemia damage was induced by four-vessel occlusion. After 1 h to 14 days of ischemia, rats were perfused intracardially by 4% paraformaldehyde. The brains were dissected to serial sections using freeze microtome, and then stained with toluidine blue. Brain mast cell was observed under microscope.

RESULTMost brain mast cells were located in thalamus. The number of mast cells in thalamus markedly decreased during reperfusion after transient global ischemia. However, the degranulation rate of thalamus mast cells showed reverse change after ischemia.

CONCLUSIONBrain mast cells markedly degranulate after transient global ischemia, which may be involved in the pathological process after ischemia.

Animals ; Brain ; pathology ; Cell Degranulation ; Ischemic Attack, Transient ; pathology ; Male ; Mast Cells ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion Injury ; pathology

To investigate ultrastructural characteristics of mast cells in urticaria pigmentosa in comparison to mast cells in other conditions and to search for the possible differences of ultrastuctural features amog different types of urticaria pigmentosa as well as those from normal mast cells, 4 cases of urticaria pigmentosa and 1 case of mastocytosis associated with capillary hemangioma were studied by both light and electron microscopic examinations. The cases of urticaria pigmentosa consisted of one case of blister type from a 3 month old ma1e infant, 2 cases of maculo-papular type both from 10 month old male infants, and a case of nodular type from a 14 month old boy. Ultrastructural features of mast cells in urticaria pigmentosa, in general; a) appeared relatively immature; b) mast cells in nodular type of urticaria pigmentosa were mostly round shaped while other types showed spindle or oblong shapes; c) mast cells in the maculo-papular type and those in hemangioma were similar and resembled normal mast cells; and d) marked degranulation of mast cells in the form of expulsion of granules, perigranular vacuole formation and intracellular disolution of granules for the blister type of urticaria pigmentosa.
Adolescent ; Cytoplasmic Granules/ultrastructure ; Human ; Male ; Mast Cells/ultrastructure ; Microscopy, Electron ; Urticaria Pigmentosa/pathology*

OBJECTIVEThe aim of this study was to investigate the features of mast cell subtypes and relationship between mast cells and pathogenesis of oral lichen planus.

METHODSMast cells in the tissue of oral lichen planus were stained with Alcian blue/safranine in order to demonstrate mature and immature mast cells, and the constituent ratio of these two subtypes was calculated. Afterwards, LUZEX-F image pattern analysis system was applied to demonstrate the size of these two subtypes and their morphological features.

RESULTSThe constituent ratio of mature and immature types of mast cells in the tissue of oral lichen planus was significantly different from that in the normal tissue (P < 0.01), and such difference was also demonstrated among different types of this malady, including papule-, net- and erosion-type of oral lichen planus (P < 0.05). There was significant difference between the sizes of mature and immature mast cells (P < 0.01) and also the sizes, amount and distribution of the plasma granules within these two mast cells.

CONCLUSIONIt could be implied that mast cells might play a role in the pathogenesis of oral lichen planus.

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Lichen Planus, Oral ; pathology ; Male ; Mast Cells ; pathology ; Middle Aged ; Mouth Mucosa ; pathology ; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted

OBJECTIVE: To determine the inflammatory cells in the mucosa at the medial aspect of the normal uncinate process compared with that on the protected lateral aspect of the normal uncinate process. METHOD: The mucosa of 20 uncinate process from the nasal cavity of 17 patients with no evidence of sinus disease undergoing functional endoscopic sinus surgery were recruited for the study. The material was stained with HE, Chromotrope 2R, Alcian blue-periodic acid-schiff, Toluidine blue. Specimens were observed using an Olympus microscope. RESULT: The number of mast cells and goblet cells were found to be higher on the lateral aspect of the normal uncinate process than on the medial aspect. The number of plasma cells was obviously different from that of lymphocytes. We did not found any eosinophils on either sides of uncinate process. CONCLUSION There are differences in the number of mast cells and goblet cells between the mucosa at the medial aspect of the normal uncinate process and the mucosa at the protected lateral aspect of the normal uncinate process.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Ethmoid Sinus ; pathology ; Female ; Goblet Cells ; cytology ; pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Mast Cells ; cytology ; pathology ; Middle Aged ; Nasal Mucosa ; pathology ; Paranasal Sinuses ; pathology ; Young Adult

Endometriosis (EMs) is a common gynecologic disease that affects women's physical and mental health seriously. The pathogenesis is still unknown and the mechanism of endometriosis-associated pain remains unclear. Mast cells (MC) are known to be multifunctional players in the immune system. Recent studies have shown that nerve fibers in EMs lesions can release neural peptides such as nerve growth factor and substance P to induce MC degranulating and releasing histamine, proteases, cytokines, chemokines etc., which contributes to the development of pain and hyperalgesia in patients with endometriosis.
Endometriosis ; complications ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Mast Cells ; metabolism ; Nerve Growth Factor ; metabolism ; Pelvic Pain ; etiology ; pathology

Mast cells (MC) may be one factor influencing the response of visceral afferent nerves to mechanical and chemical stimuli. The aim of this study was to evaluate the degree of infiltration and activity of colonic MC in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Biopsy specimens were obtained from the cecum and rectum of 14 diarrhea predominant IBS and 14 normal controls. Electron microscopy was used to determine the number of intact and degranulated colonic MC and to quantify these separately according to the distance between MC and enteric nerves. An increased number of MC in both cecum and rectum in the IBS group in comparison with the control group was demonstrated (p<0.05). Activated MC in close proximity to enteric nerves were significantly increased in both cecum and rectum of the IBS group compared to control group (p<0.005). In addition, activated MC were significantly increased in close proximity to the nerves compared to those in the remote area in both cecum and rectum of the IBS group (p<0.0001). MC were significantly increased and activated in both cecum and rectum of the IBS group compared to controls. MC may play a role in the gut sensory hypersensitivity of IBS.
Adult ; Cecum/pathology ; Cecum/ultrastructure ; Diarrhea/pathology* ; Enteric Nervous System/anatomy & histology* ; Female ; Human ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome/pathology* ; Male ; Mast Cells/ultrastructure* ; Middle Aged ; Rectum/pathology ; Rectum/ultrastructure

OBJECTIVETo investigate potential pathophysiological role of cardiac mast cells accumulation and degranulation on the collagen deposition after coronary microembolization (CME).

METHODSCME was induced in miniswine by selective infusion of 15X10(4) microspheres (diameter, 45 mum) into the left anterior descending artery groups (CME group, n=8). Some CME-induced animals were pretreated with the MC stabilizer tranilast (50 mg/kg, twice daily), beginning 2 weeks before CME and thereafter throughout the experimental period (CME +tranilast group, n=8), while some animals received tranilast without CME (tranilast group, n=8). Eight sham-operated animals without CME served as controls. After 30 days, the total number of MC and degranulating MCs and collagen deposition was assessed by histological and electronic microscopy studies.

RESULTSThe numbers of total and degranulating MCs and collagen volume fraction (CVF) at day 30 in CME group were significantly higher than those in controls (P <0.01). Treatment with tranilast significantly reduced the numbers of total and degranulating MCs and CVF at day 30 (all P <0.01). There was a significant positive correlation of the CVF with the number of total MCs (r=0.91, P <0.001) and degranulating MCs (r=0.92, P <0.001) over the CME myocardium.

CONCLUSIONMCs accumulation and degranulating contribute to myocardial fibrosis collagen deposition.

Animals ; Cell Degranulation ; Collagen ; metabolism ; Coronary Vessels ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Embolism ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Mast Cells ; pathology ; physiology ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; pathology ; Swine ; Swine, Miniature