title: A study of mast cells in autoimmune NZB/W F1 mice: possible relationship between mast cells and increased vascular permeability in the thymus of NZB/W F1 mice.
abstract: We examined the possible relationship between thymic mast cells and increased vascular permeability in the thymus of autoimmune NZB/W F1 mice. Light-microscopic observation of tissue sections showed that non-autoimmune BDF1 mast cells increased with age. In contrast, autoimmune NZB/W F1 mast cells did not increase in the thymic parenchyma at the age of 9 weeks. However, NZB/W F1 mast cells resumed the age-associated increase from the age of 12 weeks and exceeded the number of BDF1 mast cells at the age of 30 weeks. Blood histamine levels of 9-week-old NZB/W F1 mice were higher than those of BDF1 mice of comparable age. Furthermore, peritoneal mast cells of NZB/W F1 mice were more sensitive to compound 48/80 than those of BDF1 mice. Increased blood histamine levels of NZB/W F1 mice seem to be due to the enhanced histamine release from mast cells. These results suggest a possible correlation between the high histamine levels by degranulation of mast cells and increased vascular permeability in the thymus of NZB/W F1 mice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Kumamoto University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ohmori
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kotani
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002199:Capillary Permeability; D002452:Cell Count; D005260:Female; D006636:Histamine Release / Q000187:drug effects; D006824:Hybridization, Genetic; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D008814:Mice, Inbred NZB / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D012636:Secretory Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology; D003189:p-Methoxy-N-methylphenethylamine / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin; D003189:p-Methoxy-N-methylphenethylamine