Enterochromaffin Cells and Mast Cells in Acute Appendicitis

Abstract

Background and Objective Serotonin levels are increased in acute appendicitis. We investigated the possible source of this increase. The aim of this study was to compare the distribution and density of epithelial and nonepithelial enterochromaffin (EC) cells as well as numbers of degranulated and nondegranulated mast cells in different layers of normal appendices and acute appendicitis. Methods Sections from 15 cases of acute appendicitis and 10 cases where the appendix was morphologically normal were stained with Hematoxylin & Eosin, Toluidine blue, and immunohistochemically for chromogranin and CD-117. EC cells stained by chromogranin were counted per crypt and extraepithelial EC cells counted and expressed as cells per unit area (mm2). Mast cells stained by Toluidine blue and CD-117 were counted in lamina propria, submucosa, and muscle layers. The difference between Toluidine blue and CD117 stained mast cells was taken to be an estimate of degranulated cells. The cell counts were expressed per unit area (mm2) as well as per cross-sectional area of the appendix. Results There was no statistically significant difference in epithelial and extraepithelial EC cells between acute appendicitis and normal appendix. Estimated mast cell degranulation as indicated by mast cell counts per cross-sectional area is greatly increased in acute appendicitis when compared with normal. Conclusion Degranulated mast cells rather than EC cells may be the main source of raised serotonin in acute appendicitis.

Tryptase in Acute Appendicitis: Unveiling Allergic Connections through Compelling Evidence

“…The number of MCs stained was lower in AA. This proved that MC degranulation is increased in AA compared with normal appendices [22].…”

“…Toluidine blue is used for staining mast cells and can be an indirect method of measuring MC degranulation [22]. In a previous study, MC counts per cross-sectional area were evaluated in AA and normal appendices [22]. The number of MCs stained was lower in AA.…”

Diagnostic accuracy of random 5-Hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HIAA) in early diagnosis of appendicitis

“…However, the results of these studies have, in many cases, been limited to children. On the other hand, due to the limitations stated in studies, such as low sample size, contradictory results have been obtained regarding the diagnostic accuracy of 5hydroxyindole acetic acid in appendicitis diagnosis (10,11). The present study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid in the early detection of appendicitis.…”

Role of type I hypersensitivity reaction in the development of overall and uncomplicated acute appendicitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…All studies were carried out between 2008 and 2023. Three were from India [13,14,21], three from Turkey [12,15,16], two from Portugal [24,26], and one from China [17]. Five studies were prospective [12,13,21,24,26].…”

“…Four studies expressed their results as mean (standard deviation) [12,14,16,17], one study as median (range) [13], one study as mean [15], one study as mean (95% con dence interval) [21], and two studies as median (interquartile range) [24,26]. When it was considered necessary for developing metaanalytical models, an inferential estimation of the mean and standard deviation based on the median and interquartile range was performed.…”