Enhanced mast cell chymase expression in human idiopathic interstitial pneumonia

  • Authors:
    • Kazuto Hirata
    • Yoshimi Sugama
    • Yoshihiro Ikura
    • Masahiko Ohsawa
    • Yoshikazu Inoue
    • Satoru Yamamoto
    • Masanori Kitaichi
    • Makiko Ueda
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: April 1, 2007     https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.19.4.565
  • Pages: 565-570
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Abstract

Previous studies have shown that mast cell chymase induces and promotes fibrogenesis in injured tissues. We studied the roles of mast cell chymase in the fibritic processes of human idiopathic interstitial pneumonias. Frozen tissue sections from human lungs with usual interstitial pneumonia (n=7), nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (n=4) and normal lungs (n=10) were studied immunohistochemically. Monoclonal antibodies against mast cell chymase, tryptase, interleukin-4, and smooth muscle actin were used. Stained cells or areas were quantified by computer-aided morphometry. The numbers of both tryptase-positive mast cells and chymase-positive mast cells were significantly greater in lung tissues with idiopathic interstitial pneumonia than in normal lung tissues. The increase in the number of chymase-positive mast cells in the diseased lung tissues was closely related to an increase in interleukin-4-positive cells, and also to an accumulation of smooth muscle cells and myofibroblasts. Because smooth muscle cell and myofibroblast proliferation is a principal pathological change in idiopathic interstitial pneumonias, these observations suggest that mast cell chymase, possibly induced by interleukin-4-dependent phenotypic modulation, may be an important mediator in the inflammatory and fibrotic processes of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia in humans.

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April 2007
Volume 19 Issue 4

Print ISSN: 1107-3756
Online ISSN:1791-244X

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Spandidos Publications style
Hirata K, Sugama Y, Ikura Y, Ohsawa M, Inoue Y, Yamamoto S, Kitaichi M and Ueda M: Enhanced mast cell chymase expression in human idiopathic interstitial pneumonia. Int J Mol Med 19: 565-570, 2007
APA
Hirata, K., Sugama, Y., Ikura, Y., Ohsawa, M., Inoue, Y., Yamamoto, S. ... Ueda, M. (2007). Enhanced mast cell chymase expression in human idiopathic interstitial pneumonia. International Journal of Molecular Medicine, 19, 565-570. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.19.4.565
MLA
Hirata, K., Sugama, Y., Ikura, Y., Ohsawa, M., Inoue, Y., Yamamoto, S., Kitaichi, M., Ueda, M."Enhanced mast cell chymase expression in human idiopathic interstitial pneumonia". International Journal of Molecular Medicine 19.4 (2007): 565-570.
Chicago
Hirata, K., Sugama, Y., Ikura, Y., Ohsawa, M., Inoue, Y., Yamamoto, S., Kitaichi, M., Ueda, M."Enhanced mast cell chymase expression in human idiopathic interstitial pneumonia". International Journal of Molecular Medicine 19, no. 4 (2007): 565-570. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.19.4.565