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Mast cell myositis: a new feature of allergic asthma?
Author(s) -
Berger P.,
Girodet P.O.,
Manuel TudeLara J.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
allergy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.363
H-Index - 173
eISSN - 1398-9995
pISSN - 0105-4538
DOI - 10.1111/j.1398-9995.2005.00898.x
Subject(s) - mast cell , immunology , atopy , medicine , tryptase , myositis , asthma , interleukin 5 , inflammation , bronchial hyperresponsiveness , interleukin 33 , pathology , cytokine , lung , interleukin , respiratory disease
There is some evidence that, in asthma, mast cells infiltrate the airway smooth muscle layer and, as a consequence, alter the functional and structural properties of myocytes. This inflammation so‐called mast‐cell myositis, probably contributes to both bronchial hyperresponsiveness and airway remodelling. Previous observations have pointed out the presence of mast cells within airway smooth muscle of atopic patients and recent data obtained in asthmatic patients demonstrate that this infiltration is more important in asthmatic patients with atopy. Although the mechanism of such a mast cell attraction remains to be fully understood, experimental data demonstrate that, upon stimulation by tryptase or cytokines, smooth muscle cells can attract mast cells through the production of TGF‐ β 1 or SCF. Once at the site of inflammation, activated mast cells are responsible for an important extracellular deposition of inflammatory products that may facilitate the increase in smooth muscle mass. In addition, comparison of asthmatic patients with and without atopy suggests that mast cell myositis is closely related with atopy.