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

Recently, we have shown that vestibular hyperinnervation and the presence of 8 or more mast cells in a 10 x 10 microscopic field can be used as diagnostic criteria in localized vulvodynia (vulvar vestibulitis). We have also documented that degranulation of mast cells occurs in these cases. The present study further examines the characteristics of vestibular hyperinnervation and mast cell function in localized vulvodynia to elucidate if the 2 processes-hyperinnervation and mast cell increase and degranulation-are related. We examined vestibular tissue from 7 women aged 18 to 48 with severe localized vulvodynia and from 7 healthy control women. Parallel sections were stained by Giemsa and then immunostained for CD117 and heparanase. Nerve fibers that expressed protein gene product 9.5 were examined. Tissues from women with localized vulvodynia documented a significant increase in vestibular mast cells, subepithelial heparanase activity, and intraepithelial hyperinnervation compared with healthy women. This is the first documentation of heparanase activity in localized vulvodynia. Heparanase, which is degranulated from mast cells, is capable of degrading the vestibular stroma and epithelial basement membrane, thus permitting stromal proliferation and intraepithelial extension of nerve fibers, as seen in the present study. The hyperinnervation has been thought to cause the vestibular hyperesthesia distinctive of localized vulvodynia.
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PMID:Involvement of heparanase in the pathogenesis of localized vulvodynia. 1815 88

The cause of vestibulitis, currently known as vestibulodynia, is still an enigma. Among those attempting to decipher the puzzle, Israeli researchers are well represented. This article reviews the developments in terminology, etiology, treatment, and research directions, with an emphasis on the role of IsraeLi research. Forty-four articles, covering a range of aspects of vestibulodynia, are testimony to the commendable contribution of Israeli research to the understanding of this disease. For example, the finding of mast cell proLiferation and degranulation, enhanced heparanase expression, and the resultant increase and penetration of nerve fibers into the epithelial emanates from Israel. Furthermore, an Israeli first proposed the new name, vestibulodynia. Implemented in the 1980s, immediately after its initiation in the United States, surgical treatment and research in Israel is at the forefront in the world. Israeli teams investigating the effectiveness of surgical treatment conclude that perineoplasty is more successful than any other treatment. Nonetheless, with 57% complete response, and 89% improvement, surgery does not cure all those suffering from vestibulodynia.
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PMID:[Vestibulodynia--the Israeli experience]. 1984 37

Pain is a complex subjective experience, associated with neurovegetative, affective and cognitive rapid changes. Biological, psychosocial and contextual factors may contribute. Chronic inflammation, of whatever cause, is the leading contributor to chronic pain. The mast cell directs both the inflammatory process and the shift to chronic pain, mediating through the production of Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) and other neurotrophic molecules. Women, in the fertile age, are biologically more vulnerable to chronic inflammation, as fluctuations of estrogens are agonist factors of mast cells degranulation, mostly in the premenstrual phase. Pain is defined as "nociceptive" when it indicates an ongoing damage; "neuropathic" when it becomes a disease per se. Chronic Pelvic Pain (CPP) indicates an invalidating, persistent or recurrent pelvic pain, persisting for more than 6 months. CPP is the main complaint of 10-15% of gynaecologic consultations, leading to 40% of diagnostic laparoscopies and 15% of hysterectomies. Comorbidity, i.e. the coexistence of pathologies and painful syndromes in different pelvic organs, is another common feature. Cystitis, vulvar vestibulitis, endometriosis, irritable bowel syndrome all play an important role and contribute to identifying the hyperactive mast cell and related chronic inflammation as the common pathophysiologic factor. The paper reviews nociception characteristics, the emerging role of mast cells, the pathophysiology of comorbidity, biological, psychosexual and contextual predictors, and stresses the need to move from a "hyperspecialistic" perspective to a multisystemic reading of CPP, with special attention to the urologic perspective.
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PMID:[Perception of chronic pelvic pain in women: predictors and clinical implications]. 2108 54