Microscopic colitis and mast cells

[faithberry]

Found some new info on mast cells and microscopic colitis...

The Johns Hopkins info page on microscopic colitis says:

"Hypotheses concerning the pathogenesis of this disorder have included immune dysregulation leading to inflammation of the colon, collagen synthesis abnormalities, bacterial agents or toxins, mast cell abnormalities, and plasmatic vasculosis. It has also been suggested that a foreign luminal agent, perhaps a bacterial organism, may initiate colorectal mucosal inflammation. This may lead to an immunological cross-reactivity with an endogenous antigen produced by surface enterocytes (Figure 4).

hopkins-gi.nts.jhu.edu/pages/latin/templates/index.cfm?pg=disease1&organ=6&disease=29&lang_id=1

I don't know if they mean too many or if they actually mean irregularly shaped ones like the ones you find in systemic mastocytosis.

In GUT, Professor JD Wood says:
“Mastocytosis and presumably elevated availability of histamine are present in microscopic colitis, parasitic infections, IBS, and no doubt additional functional gastrointestinal disorders associated with symptoms of cramping abdominal pain, watery diarrhoea, and defecation urgency.”

(Highlighting is mine.)


By mastocytosis they mean an elevation of mast cells, not Primary Systemic Mastocytosis.

So that settles it in my mind that there's a connection between mast cells and microscopic colitis.

Cheers!

[mbeezie]

Thanks Faith. I am waiting for my results of a sigmoidocopy done on Tuesday - checked for MC and mast cells. Also still waiting for labs (tryptase, histamine etc) done 10 days ago.

Mary Beth

[tex]

So that settles it in my mind that there's a connection between mast cells and microscopic colitis.

I thought that we had agreed on that, way back when.

Tex

[faithberry]

Hi Mary Beth,

That should be interesting. Would love to know your serum tryptase. Mine is 22.5. Maybe it will turn out to be a good marker for MC!

Be well!

[faithberry]

Tex, Guess I'm just slow on the uptake! It's the first time I recall seeing the words mastocytosis and microscopic colitis in the same sentence authored by a researcher. I just get a little excited by these things. A little weird I guess!

[tex]

You may be right - this may be the first "official" mention of a connection. I thought that Dr. Lewey had an article on it, but if he did, he has removed it, (at least I can't find it), and while his mastocytosis link is still there, it no longer works.

Tex