Mast cells in collagen diseases

Abstract

Mast cells are involved in many immune reactions and diseases through 1) the expressions of several receptors, 2) productions of various mediators such as histamine, cytokines, and chemokines, 3) direct in teractions with immune cells. Besides allergic diseases, the involvement of mast cells has been also in vestigated in autoimmune diseases such as bullous pemphigoid, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis. Moreover, several studies reported the involvement of mast cells in collagen diseases. In this article, we review recent findings about the role of mast cells especially in systemic lupus erythematosus and systemic sclerosis. In these diseases, mast cells seem to be involved in local inflammation and tissue damage in the targeted organ or local immunosuppression rather than the development of autoimmunity including production of autoantibodies.

Hydroxychloroquine in lupus erythematosus, a new horizon of the old drug

“…As one candidate, mast cell will be a new clue for better understanding some possibilities of the old drug [9][10][11] .…”