Development and validation of the mastocytosis quality of life questionnaire: MC-QoL

Background Mastocytosis is a heterogeneous disease characterized by a clonal expansion of mast cells in various organs. The vast majority of patients affected suffer from signs and symptoms caused by mediator release from mast cells. Although the disease burden is high, there is currently no specific instrument to measure health-related quality of life (HRQoL) impairment in patients with mastocytosis. Objective The aim of this study was to develop and validate a disease-specific tool to assess HRQoL impairment in patients with cutaneous and indolent systemic mastocytosis, the Mastocytosis Quality of Life Questionnaire (MC-QoL). Methods Sixty-two potential MC-QoL items were developed in a co…

Travel‐associated infectious skin diseases

Genetic ablation of mast cells redefines the role of mast cells in skin wound healing and bleomycin-induced fibrosis.

Conclusive evidence for the impact of mast cells (MCs) in skin repair is still lacking. Studies in mice examining the role of MC function in the physiology and pathology of skin regenerative processes have obtained contradictory results. To clarify the specific role of MCs in regenerative conditions, here we used a recently developed genetic mouse model that allows conditional MC ablation to examine MC-specific functions in skin. This mouse model is based on the cell type–specific expression of Cre recombinase in connective tissue–type MCs under control of the Mcpt5 promoter and the Cre-inducible diphtheria toxin receptor–mediated cell lineage ablation by diphtheria toxin. In response to ex…

15. Mainzer Allergie-Workshop 2003

Pioneer: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Phase 2 Study of Avapritinib in Patients with Indolent or Smoldering Systemic Mastocytosis with Symptoms Inadequately Controlled with Standard Therapy

Background: The gain-of function mutation KIT D816V plays a central role in the pathogenesis of systemic mastocytosis (SM). Among subtypes of SM, indolent SM (ISM) is the most frequent and is associated with normal/near-normal life expectancy; smoldering SM (SSM) is a subtype with a relatively higher burden of mast cells and may be associated with an increased risk of progression to advanced mastocytosis. However, both ISM and SSM patients may experience severe symptoms associated with mast cell mediator release, such as pruritus, diarrhea, anaphylaxis, and bone pain, which can be severely debilitating and have a profoundly negative impact on quality of life. Symptomatic treatments (eg, ant…

Effects of topical treatment with the raft modulator miltefosine and clobetasol in cutaneous mastocytosis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Background Mastocytosis is characterized by the accumulation and activation of mast cells in different organs, most commonly the skin. Miltefosine, a raft modulator, has recently been shown to inhibit the activation of mast cells and to reduce mast cell-driven skin inflammatory responses. Objectives To study the safety and efficacy of topical miltefosine treatment of skin lesions in patients with mastocytosis. Methods Thirty-nine adult patients with mastocytosis with skin involvement were treated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel trial with topical miltefosine and clobetasol for 2 weeks. Treatment areas were analysed for changes in skin lesions and symptoms following mechanica…

Mast Cells Are Key Promoters of Contact Allergy that Mediate the Adjuvant Effects of Haptens

SummaryA prominent feature of sensitizing environmental compounds that cause allergic contact dermatitis is the rapid induction of an innate inflammatory response that seems to provide danger signals for efficient T cell priming. We generated mouse models of mast cell deficiency, mast cell-specific gene inactivation, and mast cell reporter mice for intravital imaging and showed that these adjuvant effects of contact allergens are mediated by mast cells and histamine. Mast cell deficiency resulted in impaired emigration of skin DCs to the lymph node and contact hypersensitivity was dramatically reduced in the absence of mast cells. In addition, mast cell-specific inactivation of the Il10 gen…

17. Mainzer Allergie-Workshop