Features of CD38 enzyme distribution in tryptase-positive mast cells: cytophysiological and histotopographic aspects

Abstract

Biological significance of the CD38 molecule goes beyond its metabolic, enzymatic, and proliferative functions. Possessing the functions of both an exoenzyme and a receptor, CD38 is actively involved in the mechanisms of adhesion, migration, intercellular signaling, formation of immune synapses, and modulation of a wide range of immune and non-immune cells. However, the detection of CD38 in mast cells (MC) on formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded organ sections has not been previously performed.The aim of the study was to evaluate immunohistochemically cytological and histotopographic features of CD38 distribution in MC of the skin, breast, palatine tonsils and bone marrow.Materials and methods. In accordance with the design of the experiment, the authors studied biomaterial of organs from patients with neurotrophic skin ulcers, tonsillitis, mastocytosis, breast cancer, and pancreatic adenocarcinoma. CD38 was detected immunohistochemically; multiplex staining technology was used to study cytotopographic patterns of the enzymes distribution in MC and to identify the features of their histotopography.Results. The possibility of immunohistochemical detection of CD38 in MC on histological sections of various organs was shown for the first time. CD38 expression was detected in a smaller part of the MC population and was characterized by wide variability from mild to pronounced levels. The content of CD38 in MC had organspecific features and also depended on the development of pathological processes in a specific tissue microenvironment.Conclusion. Multiplex immunohistochemistry technologies allow detecting CD38 expression in mast cells and studying interaction of mast cells with other CD38+-targets in tissues, developing novel ideas about the mechanisms of realization of the preformed secretome component effects in normal and pathological conditions.