title: Mast cell subsets and neuropeptides in leprosy reactions.
abstract: The immunohistochemical identification of neuropeptides (calcitonin gene-related peptide, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, substance P, alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone and gamma-melanocyte stimulating hormone) quantification of mast cells and their subsets (tryptase/chymase-immunoreactive mast cells = TCMC and tryptase-immunoreactive mast cells = TMC) were determined in biopsies of six patients with leprosy reactions (three patients with type I reaction and three with type II). Biopsies were compared with those taken from the same body site in the remission stage of the same patient. We found a relative increase of TMC in the inflammatory infiltrate of the reactional biopsies compared to the post-reactional biopsy. Also, the total number of mast cells and the TMC/TCMC ratio in the inflammatory infiltrate was significantly higher than in the intervening dermis of the biopsies of both periods. No significant difference was found regarding neuroptide expression in the reactional and post-reactional biopsies. The relative increase of TMC in the reactional infiltrates could implicate this mast cell subset in the reported increase of the immune response in leprosy reactions.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Leprosy, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sérgio Luiz Gomes
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Antunes
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: José Augusto da Costa
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Neri
authors.forename: Euzenir Nunes
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Sarno
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haak-Frendscho
authors.forename: Olle
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Johansson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D002452:Cell Count; D053818:Chymases; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007918:Leprosy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D015439:Leprosy, Borderline / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000201:enzymology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000032:analysis*; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000032:analysis; D053802:Tryptases
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D009479:Neuropeptides; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D053818:Chymases; D053802:Tryptases