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Dermal mast cells in scleroderma: their skin density, tryptase/chymase phenotypes and degranulation
Author(s) -
Akimoto,
Osamu Ishikawa,
Igarashi,
Kurosawa,
Miyachi
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
british journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.304
H-Index - 179
eISSN - 1365-2133
pISSN - 0007-0963
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2133.1998.02114.x
Subject(s) - chymase , tryptase , dermis , pathology , reticular connective tissue , papillary dermis , degranulation , reticular dermis , systemic scleroderma , medicine , connective tissue , mast cell , chemistry , immunology , dermatomyositis , receptor
To determine the distribution, tryptase/chymase phenotypes and degranulation of mast cells (MCs) in the dermis of patients with scleroderma, we examined MC density in the skin of 22 patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and 11 with localized scleroderma (LSc). We used antitryptase and antichymase antibodies after Carnoy's fixation. Detailed reports of two representative patients with SSc and LSc are included. In the scleroedematous stage (grade 1) showing oedema in both papillary and reticular dermis with variable homogenization of collagen bundles in the reticular dermis, MC skin density was variable in each specimen although MC skin density, as a whole, was significantly increased as compared with normal skin ( P < 0.05). In the sclerotic stage (grade 2) characterized by homogenization of collagen bundles in the entire dermis, MC skin density was significantly decreased as compared with normal skin ( P < 0.005). LSc showed changes similar to those in SSc. The ratio of MC TC cells (both tryptase‐ and chymase‐positive MC) to MC T cells (tryptase‐positive but chymase‐negative MC) was variable in SSc and LSc. MC T cells were exclusively dominant in three patients with SSc and two with LSc. In a patient with SSc (patient 1) showing remarkable perivascular and interstitial oedema in the upper dermis, MC skin density was increased in the oedematous portion and tryptase‐positive granules were distributed in extracellular locations. In another patient with LSc (patient 2), tryptase positivity increased and chymase positivity decreased in both number and intensity as the skin sclerosis progressed. MCs must have variable interactions with the lesional skin in SSc and LSc. The present study suggests that MCs are involved in the development of interstitial oedema.