The Role of Mast Cells in Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Table 1

Studies examining correlations between mast cells and symptoms in IBS.

Subjects number	Sex; (M : F)	Age; (mean)	Bowel habits	Location	Mast cells; mediators	MC-associated symptoms/findings	Ref.
25 IBS; 12 CTL	7 : 18; 4 : 8	36; 26.9	13 IBS-D; 12 IBS-C	Descending colon	Inc. MC; Inc. Tryp, histamine, & serotonin	Abdominal pain	[23]
21 IBS; 10 CTL	10 : 11; 4 : 6	11.2; 9.3	13 IBS-D; 8 IBS-C	Ileum, Rt & Lt colon	MC close to nerve	Abdominal pain	[24]
44 IBS; 22 CTL	13 : 31; 10 : 12	40.1; 32.5	22 IBS-D; 22 IBS-C	Descending colon	Inc. MC; Inc. Tryp	Abdominal pain	[25]
23 IBS; 22 CTL	3 : 20; 7 : 15	53; 64	8 IBS-D; 8 IBS-C; 7 IBS-A	Rectosigmoid colon	Inc. MC	Abdominal pain	[26]
48 IBS; 24 CTL	13 : 35; 9 : 15	42.7; 32	27 IBS-D; 21 IBS-C	Descending colon	Inc. MC	Abdominal bloating	[27]
34 IBS; 15 CTL	6 : 28; 9 : 6	51; 54	10 IBS-C; 13 IBS-D; 11 IBS-M	Cecum	Inc. MC; Inc. Tryp	Symptom severity; colonic permeability	[28]
25 IBS; 23 CTL	6 : 19; 12 : 11	35.2; 31.4	IBS-D	Jejunum	Inc. MC; Inc. Tryp	Stool frequency & consistency; tight junction protein	[29]
45 IBS; 30 CTL	11 : 34; 14 : 16	33.7; 36.3	IBS-D	Jejunum	Inc. MC; Inc. Tryp	Stool frequency & consistency; CLDN2 & OCLD	[30]
50 IBS; 21 CTL	9 : 41; 7 : 14	53.8; 56.5	21 IBS-D; 29 IBS-C	Cecum	Inc. MC	Fatigue & depression	[31]
55 IBS; 18 CTL	39 : 16; 12 : 6	43.4; 43.6	IBS-D	Ileum, ascending & sigmoid colon	Inc. MC	Rectal sensitivity	[32]
16 IBS; 7 CTL	6 : 10; 4 : 3	54.6; 49	IBS-D	Rectum	Inc. Tryp	Intestinal permeability	[33]
37 IBS; 11 CTL	10 : 27; 5 : 6	35.2; 24.9	16 IBS-D; 21 IBS-C	Descending colon	Inc. MC	Supernatant-evoked cholinergic twitch	[34]
11 IBS; 4 CTL	4 : 7; 2 : 2		7 IBS-D; 4 IBS-C	Descending colon	Inc. MC; Inc. Tryp	Supernatant-evoked spikes	[35]
22 IBS; 21 CTL	12 : 10; 11 : 10	50; 53.4	IBS-D	Rectum	Inc. MC; Inc. SP & VIP	No correlation	[36]
20 IBS; 14 CTL	6 : 14; 8 : 6	32.8; 27.9	IBS-D	Jejunum	Inc. MC; Inc. Tryp	No correlation	[37]
18 IBS; 15 CTL	8 : 10; 5 : 10	42.6; 41.4	IBS-D	Ileum, ascending colon, & rectum	Inc. MC	No correlation	[38]
66 IBS; 20 CTL	17 : 49; 7 : 13	38; 31	15 IBS-D; 15 IBS-C; 36 IBS-A	Ascending &; descending colon	Dec. MC	No correlation	[39]
60 IBS; 22 CTL	17 : 43; 7 : 15	36.2; 30	22 IBS-D; 9 IBS-C; 29 IBS-A	Rectum, descending colon	Dec. MC; Dec. Tryp	No correlation	[40]

CLDN: claudin; CTL: control; Dec.: decreased; IBS: irritable bowel syndrome; IBS-A: alternating IBS; IBS-C: constipation predominant IBS; IBS-D: diarrhea predominant IBS; Inc.: increased; MC: mast cell; OCLD: occludin; Tryp: tryptase; SP: substance P; VIP: vasoactive intestinal peptide.