title: Mast cells in human digestive tube in normal and pathological conditions.
abstract: Mast cells (MCs) are localized in connective tissues and are more numerous near the boundaries between the external environment and the internal milieu including the skin, the respiratory tract, the gastrointestinal tract and the conjunctiva. In the gastrointestinal tract, MCs represent 1-5% of mononuclear cells in the lamina propria of the mucosa and in the submucosa, and they are also found inside the epithelium and deep in the muscle and serosal layers. The gastrointestinal MCs perform their biological functions, releasing mediators, as amines (histamine, serotonin), cytokines, proteases, lipid mediators (leukotrienes, prostaglandins), and heparin. MCs are involved in the pathogenesis of different inflammatory conditions and tumors of the gastrointestinal tract. The use of MCs' tryptase inhibitors or c-KitR tyrosine kinase inhibitors could represent a potential anti-MC therapeutic approach in all the inflammatory and tumor pathological conditions of the digestive tube in which MCs are involved.
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neurosciences and Sensory Organs, University of Bari Medical School, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rizzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Section of Human Anatomy, University of Udine, Udine, Italy.
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Crivellato
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neurosciences and Sensory Organs, University of Bari Medical School, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Benagiano
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neurosciences and Sensory Organs, University of Bari Medical School, Bari, Italy,; National Cancer Institute "Giovanni Paolo II", Bari, Italy. Electronic address: domenico.ribatti@uniba.it.
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ribatti
mesh_terms: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D006493:Heparin / Q000378:metabolism; D006632:Histamine / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology*; D015289:Leukotrienes / Q000378:metabolism; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D011453:Prostaglandins / Q000378:metabolism; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D053802:Tryptases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D015289:Leukotrienes; D011453:Prostaglandins; D012701:Serotonin; D006632:Histamine; D006493:Heparin; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D053802:Tryptases
keywords: Digestive tube; Ileum; Inflammation; Mast cells; Tumors