title: Quantification of mast cells in the uterine cervix of women infected with human immunodeficiency virus.
abstract: The objective of the study was to identify mastocytosis in the chorionic epithelium of the uterine cervix in HIV-infected and non-HIV-infected women in autopsy specimens using histochemistry and immunohistochemistry techniques. Sixteen cervical tissue specimens were collected, of which 10 (62.50%) were from HIV-infected women. Histochemical and immunohistochemical techniques were used to evaluate mast cell density using Giemsa stain and anti-mast cell tryptase and anti-mast cell chymase antibodies, respectively. The study of the sheets and counting of mast cells with blue (Giemsa) or brown staining (anti-mast cell tryptase or chymase antibodies) were performed by 3 examiners, and 10 consecutive fields were examined under a light microscope at 400× magnification. A significant difference was found in mast cell density in the chorionic epithelium of the cervix in HIV-infected compared with non-HIV-infected women. The present study may contribute to the characterization of genital mucosa abnormalities and help better understand the potential role of mast cells in HIV-infected women.
authors.affiliation: Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Department of Nursing School, Goiás Federal University, Goiânia, Brazil. valadaresjanaina@gmail.com
authors.forename: Janaína Valadares
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Guimarães
authors.forename: Fabiana Bettanin
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Wanessa Machado
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.forename: Eneida Franco
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Vêncio
authors.forename: Ana Karina Marques
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Salge
authors.forename: Karina Machado
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Siqueira
authors.forename: Vicente de Paula Antunes
authors.initials: Vde P
authors.lastname: Texeira
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001399:Azure Stains; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D002452:Cell Count; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D053818:Chymases / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D008415:Mastocytosis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D053802:Tryptases / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D001399:Azure Stains; D015415:Biomarkers; D053818:Chymases; D053802:Tryptases