Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UNIPROT:P15088 (mast cell)
 14,925 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The mast cell, equipped with enzymes, chemotactic factors, a vasoactive amine, an anticoagulant, and lipid-derived proinflammatory products, may be essential in tissue modeling as well as in defense. Its primarily perivascular location in skin and the mucosa of the respiratory tract and the gut assures its availability to counter parasites. By the same token, the mast cell is responsible for interactions with inhaled, ingested, and injected antigens that comprise IgE-mediated allergic reactions. Abnormally high numbers of mast cells in the skin, either localized or generalized, result in urticaria pigmentosa or generalized cutaneous mastocytosis, respectively. Tissue infiltration by excessive mast cells, primarily in gut, bone, liver, and spleen, results in systemic mastocytosis; this may be accompanied by myelodysplasia or lymphoma and may eventuate in mast cell leukemia. Until the etiology of mastocytosis is understood, the treatment is symptomatic: histamine antagonism by H1 +/- H2 blockade for flushing, itching, and gastric distress; cyclooxygenase inhibition to prevent prostaglandin D2 (PGD2)-induced hypotension when indicated; and oral cromolyn to prevent gastrointestinal symptoms and bone pain.
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PMID:Mast cell disease. 149 Jun 22

A myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), type 5 (RAEB-t), and systemic mastocytosis affecting the spleen, the splenic lymph nodes, the bone marrow and the liver were diagnosed in a 38-year-old woman. The clinical course was complicated by splenic vein thromboses and iliac artery embolism. The thrombotic episodes might be secondary to mast cell mediator release. A complete remission of the MDS was obtained by allogeneic bone marrow transplantation, but the mastocytosis persisted. Thus, the possibility that the mast cell originates from a common myeloid precursor cell may be questioned.
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PMID:Persistence of systemic mastocytosis after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation in spite of complete remission of the associated myelodysplastic syndrome. 176 77

The hematopoietic growth factor interleukin (IL)-3 is a potent regulator of blood cell proliferation. It promotes the survival, proliferation, and development of hematopoietic stem cells and committed progenitor cells of the granulocyte-macrophage, erythrocyte, eosinophil, basophil, megakaryocyte, mast cell, and lymphocyte lineages. In addition, IL-3 enhances mature myeloid cell functions such as phagocytosis and activation of basophils and eosinophils, as well as monocyte cytotoxicity. The first phase of clinical trials suggested that IL-3 may augment myelopoiesis in a number of clinical conditions. It may be efficacious for treatment of primary marrow disorders, including myelodysplastic syndromes and aplastic anemia. However, replacement therapy with IL-3 alone is probably not sufficient to obtain maximal stimulation of myelopoiesis. Preclinical and clinical studies published to date suggest that sequential use or combinations of growth factors will be needed to obtain optimal hematopoietic responses.
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PMID:Interleukin-3. Its biology and potential uses in pediatric hematology/oncology. 178 68

Individuals with systemic mast cell disease (SMCD) may develop various hematologic abnormalities, including cytopenias, myeloproliferative or myelodysplastic syndromes, lymphoproliferative syndromes, and primary or secondary leukemias. Management of those patients is often complicated by their associated hematologic abnormalities. In the case of non-malignant hematologic syndromes, the approach to management is supportive. At present, overt malignancies are managed with traditional chemotherapy. The presence of leukemia in patients with mast cell disease usually indicates a grave prognosis.
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PMID:Hematologic aspects of mastocytosis: II: management of hematologic disorders in association with systemic mast cell disease. 200 65

Blood findings in 61 cases of generalized mastocytosis (GM) were evaluated. The cases were divided into two major variants: Systemic mastocytosis (SM; n = 34) with urticaria pigmentosa-like skin lesions, and malignant mastocytosis (MM; n = 27), without skin involvement. The following results were obtained: (1) Significant differences between MM and SM were found in the main haematological parameters (erythrocyte, platelet and leucocyte counts and haemoglobin level); normal values were found in 16 of the SM cases, but never in MM. (2) The main pathological findings were: in SM, anaemia (9/34) and leucocytosis (5/34); and in MM, leucocytosis (19/27), monocytosis (14/27), eosinophilia (12/27), bicytopenia (12/27, mostly anaemia with thrombocytopenia), basophilia (10/27) and isolated anaemia (7/27). (3) The major finding was a significant difference between MM and SM in the incidence of myeloproliferative disorders (MPD), myelodysplasia and mast cell leukaemia (MCL): these disorders occurred in 23 (92%) MM patients, but only in two (6%) SM patients (P less than 0.001). The four instances of MCL and two of myelodysplasia all occurred with MM. Of the 19 cases of MPD, six (SM, 1; MM, 5) were acute variants (acute myeloid and myelomonocytic leukaemias) and 13 (SM, 1; MM, 12) were chronic variants. No case of malignant lymphoma was noted. (4) The blood picture in 10 of 13 chronic MPD cases represented an atypical chronic myeloid leukaemia for which the preliminary descriptive term 'mastocytosis-associated MPD' is proposed. (5) A survey of 103 published cases (SM, 77; MM, 26) yielded similar findings, including a high incidence of MPD and MCL in MM. These findings add further weight to the argument for recognizing SM and MM as two separate entities.
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PMID:Blood findings in generalized mastocytosis: evidence of frequent simultaneous occurrence of myeloproliferative disorders. 201 71

Bone marrow trephines from 31 patients with an initial diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) were examined and analyzed histologically and immunohistochemically. In those cases terminating in overt leukemia (6/31, 19%), the number of bone marrow mast cells was significantly reduced, compared with those which did not evolve to overt leukemia. The bone marrow lymphoid cells that may participate in immunosurveillance against the proliferation of blast cells were also significantly reduced in cases terminating in overt leukemia. However, S-100 protein-positive cells, which include histiocytes and suppressor T-cells, were increased in cases terminating in overt leukemia. The results indicated that examination of the bone marrow to determine the proportions of mast cells and lymphoid cells which may be involved in host defense systems may be useful in predicting the evolution to overt leukemia in MDS. In the present series, patients with a hypocellular marrow (5/31, 16%) did not progress to overt leukemia and had a significantly lower bone marrow reticulin content, a significantly lower megakaryocyte count, a relatively higher mast cell count and a significantly higher lymphoid cell count than those with a normocellular or hypercellular marrow. These findings may reflect the initial features of MDS or, possibly, that hypocellular MDS is an independent entity with a low potential for blastic proliferation.
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PMID:Bone marrow analysis of the myelodysplastic syndromes: histological and immunohistochemical features related to the evolution of overt leukemia. 256 49

The relationship of bone marrow mast cell counts to prognosis was investigated in 48 patients with preleukaemic myelodysplasia, in 59 patients with aplastic anemia and in a DMBA induced myelodysplasia/leukaemia rat model. In patients with myelodysplasia terminating in overt leukaemia the number of mast cells per square millimeter was not correlated to duration of the preleukaemic course. Leukaemia development probabilities of patients at risk were not different for low and elevated mast cell counts. In aplastic anaemia, however, a lower bone marrow mast cell count was related to a higher survival probability and longer survival time. In the animal model no significant differences could be found between myelodysplastic, leukaemic, and control animals.
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PMID:Bone marrow mast cell reaction in preleukaemic myelodysplasia and in aplastic anaemia. 392 Aug 22

Autonomous, factor-independent growth and differentiation of malignant cells in preleukemic and leukemic disease states is a well-recognized phenomenon and is often associated with a poor prognosis. Mast cells are distinct hematopoietic cells and express a unique profile of antigens. Growth and differentiation of normal mast cells is dependent on mast cell growth factor (MGF), the ligand of the c-kit protooncogene product. In this study, we screened for mast cell-lineage involvement in 52 patients suffering from myeloid leukemias, myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), systemic mastocytosis, or other diseases by probing for mast cell-related molecules (c-kit, tryptase, histamine, and MGF) and by analyzing kit ligand/MGF-independent growth of mast cells in long-term suspension culture. Of the 52 patients tested, 2 patients with refractory anemia with excess of blast cells in transformation and 1 patient suffering from chronic myeloid leukemia blast crisis (CML-BC) were diagnosed as mastocytic disease. These patients were characterized by complex chromosomal abnormalities, splenomegaly, high percentages of circulating metachromatic cells (5% to 25%), high levels of cellular tryptase (> 10 ng/10(5) peripheral blood mononuclear cells/mL) and a tryptase/histamine (ng:ng) ratio greater than 1. The metachromatic cells expressed the mast-cell-related surface antigen c-kit, but not basophil-related antigens (CD11b, CDw17). Furthermore, in these 3 patients, spontaneous, MGF-independent growth of mast cells along with spontaneous synthesis of tryptase was demonstrable in long-term culture. No autocrine production, paracrine production, or overproduction of MGF was found. The spontaneous growth of mast cells could neither be abbrogated by addition of monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) to c-kit nor by MoAbs against MGF (< 5% inhibition), whereas factor (MGF)-dependent differentiation of mast cells in these patients could be abbrogated by MoAbs to c-kit or MoAbs to MGF (> 70% inhibition, P < .001). In addition, serum MGF levels in these patients were within the normal range and MGF could not be detected in cell-free culture supernatants. All 3 patients showed rapid progression of disease and had a survival time of less than 1 year. In conclusion, we describe a unique form of transformation in MDS and CML-BC characterized by mast cell lineage involvement and factor-independent differentiation of mast cells. This form of leukemic transformation has to be delineated from chronic myeloid leukemia with basophilia or basophil crisis, from primary mast cell leukemia, and from monocytic leukemias and myelodysplastic disorders associated with basophilia.
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PMID:Kit ligand/mast cell growth factor-independent differentiation of mast cells in myelodysplasia and chronic myeloid leukemic blast crisis. 752 72

Mastocytosis is a term collectively used for a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by abnormal growth and accumulation of mast cells. Clinical symptoms occur from the release of chemical mediators and the pathologic infiltration of cells. Three major groups of patients with mastocytosis can be distinguished: i) cutaneous mastocytosis, ii) mastocytosis involving the skin and one or more extracutaneous organ(s), and iii) visceral mastocytosis without involvement of the skin. Groups ii) and iii) account for approximately 15-20% of all cases and have been referred to as systemic mastocytosis. Cutaneous mastocytosis typically presents as urticaria pigmentosa or diffuse cutaneous mastocytosis. These patients usually have a benign course. In contrast, systemic mastocytosis is a diffuse hematologic process with an increased risk to develop aggressive disease. In these patients, additional hematologic abnormalities or a second hematologic process, such as a myeloproliferative or myelodysplastic syndrome, or acute leukemia, may develop. Malignant mastocytosis and mast cell leukemia are rare forms of mastocytosis and characterized by uncontrolled and progressive proliferation and infiltration of mast cells in diverse organs. These patients often present without cutaneous lesions and have a very unfavorable prognosis. Because of the immature morphology of the cells it is often difficult to establish the diagnosis in such patients. However, the use of antibodies to mast cell antigens has recently improved the diagnostic efficiency in patients with suspected mast cell disease. No effective therapy for patients with malignant mastocytosis is known, although some patients may benefit from corticosteroid and interferon alpha treatment. The present article gives an overview of current knowledge about the biology, heterogeneity and treatment of human mastocytosis.
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PMID:Biology, classification and treatment of human mastocytosis. 876 23

Mast cells and blood basophils are distinct hemopoietic cells. They can be distinguished from each other and from all other lymphohemopoietic cells using antibodies against surface receptors or stored cytoplasmic molecules. In patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) or myeloproliferative syndromes (MPS), an elevation of metachromatically granulated cells (MCS) is frequently seen. These cells can be classified as basophils or mast cells using monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against leukocyte antigens, including mast cell tryptase, c-kit (= mast cell growth factor [MGF] receptor), interleukin-3 receptor alpha chain (IL-3R alpha = CD123), and CD11b (C3biR). In a stable phase of MDS or MPS, the circulating MCS usually are basophils (histamine+, tryptase-, c-kit-, IL-3R alpha +, CD11b+). In an accelerated or terminal phase of disease, however, mast cell lineage involvement and circulating mast cell precursors (histamine+, tryptase+, c-kit+, IL-3R alpha-, CD11b-) are found in a subset of patients. The use of mAbs against mast cell antigens and granulocyte antigens is diagnostic in these patients.
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PMID:Mast cell-lineage versus basophil lineage involvement in myeloproliferative and myelodysplastic syndromes: diagnostic role of cell-immunophenotyping. 881 68


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