[Mast cells of ileocecal junction in irritable bowel syndrome]

To investigate whether the mast cells (MC) of the ileocecal junction (ICJ) is elevated in the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and the possible roles of the MC in IBS, the biopsies of ICJ were stained specifically by histochemistry for the MC in the IBS group (n = 20) and the normal group (n = 19). The structure relation between MC and nerves was studied through an electronic microscopy and an immunohistochemical method demonstrating neuronspecific enolase. The results demonstrated that the number of the MC of ICJ was significantly elevated in the IBS (P = 0.019) and that mast cells were close to nerves which were often unmyelinated nerves in lamina propria. The results indicate that the MC of ICJ may be responsible for the pathophysiology of the IBS. We conclude that the MC of ICJ may be a mediator between the gut and the nervous system in the IBS, and that the mast cell stabilizer or the antagonists of the mast cell products may have potential treatment effects on the IBS.