Quantification of mast cells and blood vessels in the skin of patients with cutaneous mucinosis.
Recent studies have suggested that mast cell numbers are increased in the skin of patients with cutaneous mucinosis and that these cells may have an important role in angiogenesis and production of mucin. Then, skin biopsies from 30 patients with cutaneous mucinosis (papular mucinosis, focal mucinosis, and mucinosis associated with lupus erythematosus) and from 10 healthy subjects were analyzed. Mast cells and blood vessels were immunolabeled with anti-tryptase and anti-CD34 antibodies, respectively, and then quantified stereologically. Counting was performed in papillary and reticular dermis. An increase in the number of mast cells was observed in the skin of patients with cutaneous mucinosis compared with the control group. Only minimal differences were observed in vessel stereology. There was no correlation between the increase in the number of mast cells and the number of blood vessels in the patients studied. There was no significant difference in the numbers of mast cells or blood vessels between the 3 subgroups of cutaneous mucinosis. Although many clinical forms of mucinosis have been described, neither mast cell number nor vessel distribution seems to distinguish the 3 different forms studied here.
Martins
Clarice
C
Department of Dermatology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Nascimento
Adriana Paulino
AP
Monte-Alto-Costa
Andréa
A
Alves
Maria de Fátima Scotelaro
Mde F
Carneiro
Sueli Coelho
SC
Porto
Luís Cristóvão de Moraes Sobrino
LC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000378:metabolism; D001706:Biopsy; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002452:Cell Count; D020405:Dermis / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008178:Lupus Erythematosus, Cutaneous / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000473:pathology*; D053718:Scleromyxedema / Q000473:pathology*; D053802:Tryptases / Q000378:metabolism
D018952:Antigens, CD34; D053802:Tryptases