[The effect of immunomodulators that stimulate macrophagal functional activity on the morphofunctional characteristics of mast cells].

The influence of drugs stimulating macrophage activity (prodigiosan, leukinferon, alpha-interferon) on cytochemical properties of mast cell populations of gastric and jejunal mucosa (mucosal mast cells) and peritoneal fluid and mesenterial mast cells (connective tissue mast cells) of Wistar rats and CBA mice was investigated. It was determined that prodigiosan and leukinferon caused degranulation and decreasing in the number of mucosal mast cells, while interferon had no such effect. Prodigiosan decreases histamine and serotonin contents in the peritoneal mast cells, whereas leukinferon decreases histamine content only. Prodigiosan and leukinferon cause no decrease in histamine contents in mesenterial mast cells, and only prodigiosan causes a decrease in serotonin content in mesenterial mast cells. These results indicate a heterogeneity of mast cell-macrophage interaction in various organs and tissues.