BACKGROUND Mast cell activation is thought to be involved in visceral hypersensitivity, one of the main characteristics of the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). A study was therefore undertaken to investigate the effect of the mast cell stabiliser ketotifen on rectal sensitivity and symptoms in patients with IBS. METHODS 60 patients with IBS underwent a barostat study to assess rectal sensitivi...

Mast cells in the left cranial pulmonary lobe of colostrum-deprived neonatal calves were quantified 2 and 6 h after intrabronchial inoculation with Mannheimia (Pasteurella) haemolytica A1. The mast cells were detected (1) immunohistochemically with a mouse anti-human mast cell tryptase monoclonal antibody, and (2) by metachromatic staining with low pH toluidine blue. A greater number of mast ce...

BACKGROUND Tryptase is a serin protease stored and released from mast cells (MCs) that plays a role in tumour angiogenesis. In this study we aimed to evaluate serum tryptase levels in colo-rectal cancer (CRC) patients before (STLBS) and after (STLAS) radical surgical resection. We also evaluated mast cell density positive to tryptase (MCDPT) and microvascular density (MVD) in primary tumour tis...

Tryptase is a 31 kDa, glycosylated, trypsin-like enzyme stored in and released from mast cell granules. Human tryptase exists as a tetramer, binds heparin, and has a limited substrate specificity, yet it displays remarkable resistance to inhibition by blood plasma proteinase inhibitors. In this study we have examined the cleavage of human fibrinogen by tryptase. alpha chain cleavage was shown t...

Biochemical studies in vitro have demonstrated that stimulated mast cells induce macrophage foam cell formation through the synergistic action of mast cell granule neutral proteases and proteoglycans. To determine the presence and number of mast cells in human arterial intima, the site of atherogenesis, specimens of normal and atherosclerotic human aortic intima from 35 autopsies of persons ran...

In this study, we compared mast cell tryptase and CD31 expression between odontogenic tumors with the aim of predicting the clinical behavior of these lesions at the time of initial biopsy. We also evaluated the correlation between mast cell tryptase and CD31 expression to clarify the role of mast cells (MCs) in the growth of odontogenic tumors. Immunohistochemical staining with anti-MC tryptas...

Mast cell tryptase (MCT) is a key diagnostic test for mastocytosis and anaphylaxis. High serum tryptase levels are also one of the risk factors for adverse reaction in venom immunotherapy, yet occasional patients are seen with raised levels in the absence of either diagnosis. False positive results can be due to assay interference by heterophilic antibodies such as rheumatoid factor (RF) and hu...