Increase of mast cells in the peritoneal cavity of rats treated with atopic patient's serum
Martin, E.S.
Allergologia et Immunopathologia 4(2): 131-138
1976
ISSN/ISBN: 0301-0546 PMID: 937158 Document Number: 107161
In accordance with the experiments described by the author, the injection of atopic serum and the serum of patients infected with ascaris into the peritoneal cavity of the rats produces after 24 hours an increase in mast cells of the mesentery together with vascular congestion. The experiment was made in the following way: injecting 0.5 ml. of the serum in the peritoneal cavity and the observations were made after 24 hours in the ileum-cecal mesentery. The increase of mast cells is shown to have statistical significance in atopic serum (hay fever and atopic dermatitis) as well as in serum of patients infected with ascaris lumbricoides. The increase of the mast cells is seen particularly in the vascular areas. On the other hand, the injection of non-atopic serum and inactivated atopic serum by heat (56 degrees C, 2 hours) does not produce this increase in mast cells. This phenomenon of the increase of the mast cell population which the atopic serum produces is only observed after 24 hours and not in a shorter time (20 minutes). Also we would emphasize that the increase is due only to the application of the atopic serum without any need to apply the appropriate antigen. The results obtained are as follows:A) 6 control rats--38.6 mast cells/mm2 B) 7 rats + serum of patient with hay fever--88.5 mast cells/mm2 C) 4 rats + inactivated serum (56 degrees C 2 hours) from the same patient with hay fever. 47.0 mast cells/mm2 D) 4 rats + 4 serum from non-atopic persons--38.1 mast cells/mm2 B') 6 rats + 6 serum from patients with hay fever--89.0 mast cells/mm2 C') 4 rats + 4 serums from patients with atopic dermatitis. 108.0 mast cells/mm2 D') 4 rats + 4 serums from patients with ascaris lumbricoides--116.0 mast cells/mm2. Although it is known that the serum from atopic patients and those infected with ascaris lumbricoides has a high level of IgE we cannot be sure that this increase in mast cells in the rat is produced by the human IgE. The true cause of this phenomenon is unknown.