Mast cells partly contribute to allergic enteritis development: Findings in two different mast cell-deficient mice

Allergic enteritis (AE) is a gastrointestinal form of food allergy. The presence of mast cells and granulocytes has been detected in the inflamed tissues in AE. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the role of mast cells in AE development using two mast cell-deficient mouse strains: KIT(W-sh/W-sh) bearing the W-sash (W(sh)) inversion mutation and Cpa3Cre/+, which lack mast cells due to Cre-mediated mast cell eradication, were used in an AE experimental model. The development of clinical symptoms (e.g. drop in body temperature and weight loss) were abolished in both strains, whereas inflammatory levels of AE (e.g. villous atrophy, edema, and granulocyte accumulation) were reduced mainly in K…