The role of activation of colonic mucosal mast cells in the pathophysiology of irritable bowel syndrome / 中华消化杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the potential role of activation of the colonic mucosal mast cells in the pathogenesis of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Methods The activation of colonic mucosal mast cells was evaluated by double immunohistochemical staining with c-Fos and tryptase in restraining stress and conditioned restraining stress rats and in 56 refractory IBS patients(by Rome Ⅱ criteria), 2 free-symptom more than 6 months patients and 20 healthy controls. It was also evaluated that the effect of mast cell stabilizer sodium cromoglycate 20 mg/kg given intraperitoneally (i.p.) 30 min before stress or conditioned stress on electromyographic activity (EMG) in abdominal striated muscle as the marker of visceral sensitization. The relationship between the severity index of symptom and the percentage of activation of sigmoid-rectal mucosal mast cells in IBS was analyzed by Spearman rank correlation. Results The percentage of activating mast cells instead of the total number increased significantly in stress (2.5 ?0.8 vs. 8.0?0.9) and conditioned stress (2.5? 0.8 vs. 7.8?0.8) rats compared with that in controls ( P