Peritoneal mast cells in peritoneal dialysis patients, particularly in encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis patients.
BACKGROUND
We assumed that increased mast cell numbers contribute substantially to the fibrosis often seen in the peritoneum of peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients, particularly those with encapsulating peritoneal fibrosis (EPS). Therefore, we investigated mast cells in different pathological conditions of the peritoneum.


METHODS
One hundred fifteen tissue probes with different peritoneal pathological states were selected (normal, n = 20; chronic appendicitis, n = 25; herniotomy, n = 24; fibrosis, n = 11; PD, n = 26; and EPS, n = 9). For staining of mast cells, we used alpha-naphtol-AS-d-chloracetate-esterase and mast cell tryptase. Next, we counted numbers of mast cells per square millimeter. Tryptase was measured by using image analysis.


RESULTS
Measurements by means of both methods correlated well (r = 0.812). Numbers of mast cells per square millimeter were as follows: normal, 26 +/- 16; chronic appendicitis, 241 +/- 217; herniotomy, 115 +/- 88; fibrosis, 99 +/- 66; PD, 81 +/- 64, and EPS, 24 +/- 23 (P = 0.00006). Amounts of tryptase present were 2.900 +/- 0.118, 2.871 +/- 0.150, 2.733 +/- 0.183, 3.041 +/- 0.176, 2.780 +/- 0.184, and 2.609 +/- 0.234, respectively (P = 0.00002).


CONCLUSIONS
We found upregulation of mast cells in specimens of chronic inflammatory diseases of the peritoneum. This also was true for PD patients, with the exclusion of patients with EPS. Therefore, loss-of-control functions of mast cells may contribute to the ill-understood disease entity of EPS.
Alscher
Dominik M
DM
Department of Internal Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine and Nephrology, Robert-Bosch-Hospital, Stuttgart, Germany. dominik.alscher@rbk.de
Braun
Niko
N
Biegger
Dagmar
D
Fritz
Peter
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000601:surgery; D002452:Cell Count / Q000379:methods; D005355:Fibrosis; D059685:Herniorrhaphy; D006801:Humans; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010530:Peritoneal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010532:Peritoneal Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D010537:Peritoneum / Q000473:pathology*; D012598:Sclerosis; D053802:Tryptases
D053802:Tryptases