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Mast cells in fibrotic lung disorders
A Pesci1, G Bertorelli, M Gabrielli
1Istituto di Clinica delle Malattie dell'Apparato Respiratorio, Università di Parma, Italy.
Chest
|April 1, 1993
Summary
Mast cells are significantly increased in fibrotic lung disorders, correlating with fibrosis severity. These findings suggest mast cells play a role in chronic lung inflammation and interstitial fibrosis development.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Immunology
- Pathology
Background:
- Fibrotic lung disorders are chronic inflammatory conditions characterized by lung injury and mesenchymal cell proliferation.
- The precise pathogenesis of lung fibrosis remains incompletely understood, with emerging focus on mast cell involvement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of mast cells in the pathogenesis of lung fibrosis.
- To compare mast cell presence with the degree of fibrosis in various fibrotic lung disorders.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of transbronchial lung biopsy specimens from 49 patients with diverse fibrotic lung disorders.
- Quantification of mast cells in lung tissue and comparison with fibrosis severity.
- Comparison of mast cell counts between patients and a control group.
Main Results:
- Significantly higher mast cell numbers were observed in patients with fibrotic lung disorders compared to controls (98.6 vs 27.8 cells/mm²).
- Mast cell counts showed a strong positive correlation with the degree of interstitial fibrosis (r = 0.87, p < 0.001).
- Mast cells were predominantly located in alveolar septa and along blood vessels, with none found within alveoli in controls.
Conclusions:
- Mast cells are implicated in the chronic inflammation associated with fibrotic lung disorders.
- The increased presence of mast cells is directly related to the extent of interstitial fibrosis across a spectrum of lung diseases.