Objectives: 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.

Methods: 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.

Results: 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.

Conclusion: 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.

Background

The host immune system normally functions to destroy neoplastic cells that continually develop as a result of somatic mutations. However, patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma have depressed cell-mediated immune function, which has recently been shown to be most pronounced in the local and regional environment of the primary tumor. Recent studies suggest a local modulation of the host immune response to tumor by secreted immunoregulatory factors such as cytokines, especially pro-inflammatory cytokines(interleukin-1, interleukin-6, interleukin-8, interferons, and tumor necrosis factor).

Materials and Methods

To assessthe ability of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma to produce these cytokines, initially, we have performed immunohistochemical staing for interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor in 20 cases of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma and 10 cases of laryngeal nodule as a control group.

Results

We detected interleukin-6 in 11 cases of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma(55%) and tumor necrosis factor in 11 cases of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma(55%). All of 10 papillomas showed no expression of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor. There is no statistical correlation between interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor expression and clinical stage or pathologic grade.

Conclusion

These results suggest that laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma may secrete cytokines influencing the response of local immune cells. But future studies of the role of tumorderived cytokines in the local immune response to tumor could be investigated,since cytokines may directly or indirectly regulate tumor growth and metastasis.