Open AccessNeovascularization and mast cells with tryptase activity increase simultaneously in human pterygium
Author(s) -
Ribatti Domenico,
Nico Beatrice,
Maxia Cristina,
Longo Vito,
Murtas Daniela,
Mangieri Domenica,
Perra M. Teresa,
De Giorgis Michela,
Piras Franca,
Crivellato Enrico,
Sirigu Paola
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of cellular and molecular medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.44
H-Index - 130
eISSN - 1582-4934
pISSN - 1582-1838
DOI - 10.1111/j.1582-4934.2007.00050.x
Subject(s) - tryptase , pterygium , mast (botany) , neovascularization , mast cell , angiogenesis , cancer research , microbiology and biotechnology , immunology , medicine , biology , ophthalmology
Mast cells (MC) have been implicated in both normal and pathological angiogenesis, such as that in chronic inflammatory diseases and tumors. This assumption is partially supported by the close structural association between MC and blood vessels and the recruitment of these cells during tumor growth. MC release a number of angiogenic factors among which tryptase, a serine protease stored in MC granules, is one of the most active. In this study, we correlate the extent of angiogenesis with the number of tryptase‐reactive MC in tissue fragments from pterygium and normal bulbar conjunctiva investigated by immunohistochemistry, using two murine monoclonal antibodies against the endothelial cell marker CD31 and the MC marker tryptase. Angiogenesis, measured as microvessel density, was highly correlated with MC tryptase‐positive cell count in pterygium tissues. These results suggest that the characteristic neovascularization observed in pterygium may be sustained, at least in part, by MC angiogenic mediators, in particular tryptase.