Skin nerve fibres and their contacts with mast cells in patients with palmoplantar pustulosis |
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Authors: | E Hagforsen Klas Nordlind G Michaëlsson |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Medical Sciences, Dermatology and Venereology, University Hospital, S-751 85 Uppsala, Sweden Fax: +46-18-662680, SE |
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Abstract: | Abstract Patients with palmoplantar pustulosis (PPP) frequently report that stress worsens their condition. A study was therefore
made of the distribution and number of nerve fibres positive for protein gene product (PGP) 9.5 (a general nerve marker) and
nerve fibres with substance P- and calcitonin gene-related peptide-like immunoreactivity in involved skin from patients with
PPP and in skin from healthy controls. The number of mast cells in the papillary dermis was larger (P = 0.0003) in lesional palmar PPP skin than in control skin, and the number of contacts between mast cells and nerve fibres
was significantly larger (P = 0.02) in PPP skin than in control skin. Image analysis of the nerve fibres around the sweat glands showed that the positively
stained area as a percentage of the total area of the sweat gland (coil + surrounding nerves) was significantly lower in PPP
skin (P = 0.0006). Furthermore, the nerves seemed to be fragmented. Neutrophils within and below the pustules and in the papillary
dermis showed positive substance P staining. The increased number of contacts between nerves and mast cells in PPP skin and
the intense substance P-like immunoreactivity of the neutrophils indicate that neuromediation may influence the inflammation
in PPP, whereas the destruction of the nerve fibres around the sweat glands might be a result of the inflammation.
Received: 8 October 1999 / Revised: 25 January 2000 / Accepted: 27 January 2000 |
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Keywords: | Palmoplantar pustulosis Sensory nerve fibres Neuropeptides Mast cells Sweat glands |
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