[A sharp increase in the density of pulmonary and pericardial mast cells under monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension in rats].

Multifunctional granular mast cells (MCs) are involved in various pathological processes. The response of MC populations of myocardium, pericardium and lung to pulmonary hypertension (PH) has been studies 8 weeks after injection of monocrotaline. Five intact and five experimental rats were used. The density of MCs of different maturity was estimated on paraffin sections stained with Alcian blue and Safranin. Expressiveness of PH was estimated by functional parameters with the help of echocardiograms and by morphological markers. The MC density in myocardium of the intact and experimental rats was relatively low: 2 to 4 cells/mm2. MC density in the pericardium of intact rats was 14 times higher than in myocardium and increased 3 times for PH. The mature Safranin-positive cells predominated (70-80%) in myocardium and pericardium of intact and experimental rats. The MC density in the lungs of intact rats was about 30 cells/mm2; 98% of these cells were immature Alcian-positive cells. The mean density of MCs in the lungs of rats with PH increased 5.6 times. The mature Safranin-positive cells appeared in the lungs of rats with severe pathology. The greatest number of MCs in lungs was in the rats with the most pronounced disorders of myocardium function and marked histological damages (injuries) of myocardium and lungs. The finding show active response of MC population to monocrotaline-induced PH that stimulates migration of immature MCs into pericardium and lungs from the outside. Our data indicate the important role of MCs in the pathogenesis of PH.