No difference in inflammatory mediator expression between mast cell-rich and mast cell-poor rosacea lesions in Korean patients: a comparative study.
Lee. Jin Ju JJ; Kwon. Bo Ram BR; Lee. Min Young MY; Byun. Ji Yeon JY; Roh. Joo Young JY; Choi. Hae Young HY; Choi. You Won YW
Key Findings
- Mast‑cell‑rich lesions had significantly more mast cells than mast‑cell‑poor lesions but showed no difference in IL‑6, TNF‑α, or LL‑37 levels.
- Mast cell density did not correlate with patient age, sex, rosacea subtype, or other health conditions.
- The results suggest mast cell infiltration alone does not alter the inflammatory mediator profile in rosacea.
Practical Outcomes
- For biohackers hoping to influence LL‑37 by targeting mast cells in rosacea, this study indicates that such a strategy is unlikely to be effective. Efforts should focus on other pathways or factors that more directly regulate LL‑37 and skin inflammation.
Summary
The study compared rosacea skin spots with lots of mast cells to spots with few mast cells and measured inflammation signals like IL‑6, TNF‑α and the peptide LL‑37. It found that even though the mast‑cell‑rich spots had more mast cells, the levels of those inflammatory markers, including LL‑37, were the same as in the low‑mast‑cell spots. So mast cells don’t seem to drive LL‑37 changes in rosacea lesions.
Abstract
<b>Objectives:</b> This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between mast cell (MC) density in rosacea-affected skin and the expression of key inflammatory mediators, including IL-6, TNF-α, and cathelicidin LL-37. By comparing lesions rich in MCs with those having fewer MCs, we sought to elucidate the role of MCs in the inflammatory mechanisms underlying rosacea pathogenesis. <b>Methods:</b> Specimens were collected from 20 patients diagnosed with rosacea who attended the outpatient clinic between 2008 and 2013. Each specimen underwent staining using hematoxylin/eosin, Giemsa, IL-6, LL-37, and TNF-α for both histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses. The number of stained cells was counted across 10 randomly selected dermal layers at a magnification of ×400 using light microscopy. The results were categorized based on the number of MCs counted: more than 10 MCs were classified as MC-rich, and 10 or fewer MCs as MC-poor. <b>Results:</b> Among the 20 patients (10 MC-rich and 10 MC-poor), the MC-rich group demonstrated significantly higher MC counts than the MC-poor group (P<0.001). However, there were no significant differences in the expression levels of IL-6, LL-37, or TNF-α between the two groups. Additionally, MC density did not show any significant associations with patient demographics, clinical characteristics, or systemic comorbidities. <b>Conclusion:</b> Increased MC density was not associated with differences in IL-6, TNF-α, or LL-37 expression in rosacea lesions. These findings suggest that MC infiltration may not directly influence the inflammatory mediator profile in rosacea. Further research is required to identify distinctive pathological features or markers that can elucidate the mechanisms of rosacea.
Study Information
pubmed
2025
2025-01-31T00:00:00.000Z
10.12771/emj.2024.e78
13