The Role of Mast Cells in Autoimmune Bullous Dermatoses

Skin mast cells (MCs), a resident immune cell type with broad regulatory capacity, play an important role in sensing danger signals as well as in the control of the local immune response. It is conceivable to expect that skin MCs regulate autoimmune response and are thus involved in autoimmune diseases in the skin, e.g., autoimmune bullous dermatoses (AIBD). Therefore, exploring the role of MCs in AIBD will improve our understanding of the disease pathogenesis and the search for novel therapeutic targets. Previously, in clinical studies with AIBD, particularly bullous pemphigoid, patients' samples have demonstrated that MCs are likely involved in the development of the diseases. However, using MC-deficient mice, studies with mouse models of AIBD have obtained inconclusive or even discrepant results. Therefore, it is necessary to clarify the observed discrepancies and to elucidate the role of MCs in AIBD. Here, in this review, we aim to clarify discrepant findings and finally elucidate the role of MCs in AIBD by summarizing and discussing the findings in both clinical and experimental studies.