Histopathological and enzyme histochemical observations on mast cells in pulmonary arterial lesion of dogs with Dirofilaria immitis infestation.

Abstract

Histopathological and enzyme histochemical observations were performed on mast cells in pulmonary arterial lesion of Dirofilaria immitis in dogs. The results showed that chymase- and tryptase-positive mast cells were diffusely present in the lesions, especially in the adventitia and proliferated intima. At 2 weeks after surgical worm transplantation, mast cells already appeared in the intima and media, and chymase-positive cells were dominant in the adventitia. Results of this study suggested a possibility that mast cells would be involved in the pathogenesis of pulmonary arterial lesion of dogs with Dirofilaria immitis infestation.