Epidermal Mast Cells in the Cat

DANNY W. SCOTT

Department of Clinical Sciences,

New York State College of Veterinary Medicine,
Cornell University,
Ithaca,
New York, U.S.A.

Veterinary Dermatology 1990; 1: 65-69.

Abstract-Mast cells were found in the surface epidermis and outer root sheath epithelium in 37 of 338 cats
(11.6 per cent) with non-neoplastic skin disorders. Epidermal mast cells were most commonly found in the
eosinophilic plaque and the eosinophilic granuloma. Thevast majority of dermatoses wherein epidermal
mast cells were found were characterised by: (1) a presumed immune-mediated pathogenesis, and (2) tissue
eosinophilia.

Key Words: Cat; Eosinophilia; Epidermis; Immune-mediated; Mast cells.

INTRODUCTION plastic skin disorders. Skin biopsies from 4 normal

Dermal mast cells have been extensively studied and
voluminously described in the literature ( 1-4). In
humans, cutaneous mast cells have been mapped and
quantitated, and their close association with dermal
blood vessels emphasised (1, 3, 5). Remarkably, such
studies make no mention of epidermal mast cells. In
addition, modern textbooks devoted to the anatomy,
physiology, histopathology and diseases of human
skin do not acknowledge the existence of epidermal
mast cells (1, 6- 11).
However, there is ample reason to suspect that
mast cells occur with some frequency in the normal
and abnormal human epidermis. Zelickson (13)
states that examination of the normal human epider-
mis by electron microscopy often reveals mast cells.
Others have reported epidermal mast cells in a wide
variety of human dermatoses (14-17).
In the cat, numeroy studies have commented on
the dermal mast cell (18-21). However, neither in
these studies, nor in standard textbooks of veterinary
dermatology (2 I) and veterinary pathology (22), can
one find the mention of an epidermal mast cell in
cats (nor any other domestic species). Recently, epi-
dermal mast cells were observed in one of 14 cats
with cutaneous mast cell neoplasms (23).
The purpose of this paper is to report the results
of a retrospective study of 338 cats with non-neo-
plastic skin disease, as well as 4 normal cats, which
was directed at determining the frequency of occur-
rence of epidermal mast cells in cat skin biopsies.
MATERIALS AND METHOD
A retrospective histopathological study was per-
formed on skin biopsies from 338 cats with non-neo-
Copyright European Society of Veterinary Dermatology.
cats were similarly studied. All biopsies had been
routinely processed for histopathological examina-
tion and stained with haematoxylin and eosin (H&E)
and acid orcein-Giemsa (AOG)( 7, 21.).
RESULTS
The 338 dermatoses studied are presented in Table 1.
The diagnoses were established by standard clinico-
pathological and therapeutic criteria (2 1). Thirty-
seven ( 11.6 per cent) of these cases had demonstrable
mast cells within the epidermis (Table 2). Epidermal
mast cells were not observed in the biopsies from the
4 normal cats.
Mast cells were present diffusely and, occasionally,
focally within the surface epidermis, and often within
the outer root sheath of hair follicles (Figs. 1 and 2).
Mast cells occurred singly and were usually confined
to the intercellular spaces of the basal and immedi-
ately suprabasal layers of the epithelium (Figs. 3 and
4). Occasionally, isolated mast cells were found in
the middle and upper layers of the epidermis. Thirty-
three (89.2 per cent) of the dermatoses wherein
epidermal mast cells were found were characterised
by significant tissue eosinophilia.
DISCUSSION
Despite the apparent failure to acknowledge their
existence in standard dermatology and pathology
textbooks, epidermal mast cells appear to be a fre-
quent occurrence, at least in humans and cats. In
humans, epidermal mast cells have been seen in
numerous dermatoses, including pemphigus vege-
tans, pemphigus foliaceus, tuberculosis, blastomyco-
sis, bromoderma, alopecia mucinosa, piebaldism,

65
 Epidermal mast cells in the cat 67

Figure 3. Skin biopsy from a cat with an eosinophilic plaque. Figure 4. Close-up of Figure 3 (AOG stain X1,lOO).
Numerous mast cells within epidermis (AOG stain X90).

TABLE 1. The dermatoses studied in 338 cats

Number Number
Diagnosis . of Cats Diagnosis of Cats

Allergy* 51 Bacterial pseudomycetoma (botryomycosis) 2

Eosinophilic plaque 44 Phaeohyphomycosis 2
Bacterial folliculitis and furunculosis 31 Alopecia mucinosa 2
Eosinophilic granuloma 30 Pemphigus erythematosus 2
Pemphigus foliaceus 20 Idiopathic vasculitis 2
Sterile panniculitis 17 Idiopathic lichenoid dermatitis 2
Flea bite hypersensitivity 16 Cheyletiellosis - 2
Indolent ulcer 15 Alternariosis 2
Dermatophytosis 10 Toxoplasmosis I
Systemic lupus erythematosus 7
Feline leprosy 1
AtOPY 6
Atypical mycobacteriosis 1
Food allergy 5
Cryptococcosis Sporotrichosis I
5
Cutaneous asthenia 5
Otodectic mange I
Feline symmetric alopecia (feline endocrine alopecia) 5 Feline poxvirus 1
Sterile pyogranuloma syndrome 4 Trombiculidiasis 1
Sterile eosinophilic folliculitis 4 Urticaria pigmentosa 1
Plasma cell pododermatitis 4 Drug eruption 1
Psychogenic alopecia/dermatitis 4 Nocardiosis 1
Pemphigus vulgaris 4 Tail gland hyperplasia (stud tail) 1
Demodicosis 3 Granulomatous sebaceous adenitis 1
Feline acne 3 Hypereosinophilic syndrome 1
Iatrogenic Cushings syndrome 3 Parapsoriasis, large plaque type 1
Toxic epidermal necrolysis 3 Immune-mediated dermatitis, presumptive 1
Erythema multiforme 3
Bacterial cellulitis/abscess 3 *These cats had flea bite hypersensitivity, food allergy, atopy,
Xanthomatosis 2 or some combination thereof. Definitive testing was not per-
Contact dermatitis 2 formed.
68 Danny W. Scott

TABLE 2. Dermatoses in 37 cats wherein epidermal mast cells parable degrees of epidermal hyperplasia, epidermal
were found. oedema, and dermal infiltration of inflammatory
cells. O n the other hand, it may, indeed, be signifi-
Number
Diagnosis of Cats cant that: ( 1) all of the dermatoses (with the possible
exception of urticaria pigmentosa) wherein epider-
Eosinophilic plaque 16 mal mast cells were found are of presumed immuno-
Eosinophilic granuloma 6 logical origin, and (2) that 89.2 per cent of these
Systemic lupus erythematosus 3 dermatoses had significant tissue eosinophilia (ab-
Allergy 2
Pemphigus foliaceus 2 sent in 2 cases of systemic lupus erythematosus, 1
Idiopathic lichenoid dermatitis 2 case of pemphigus foliaceus, and 1 case of indolent
Sterile eosinophilic folliculitis 2 ulcer).
AtOPY 1 The role of the epidermal mast cell is presently
Flea bite hypersensitivity 1
unknown. As the mast cell is a storage depot of
Indolent ulcer 1
Urticaria pigmentosa 1 potentially proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory
substances (1, 21), it could presumably be involved
in perpetuating or downgrading abnormal epidermal
inflammatory or proliferative states. Further re-
per cent), the eosinophilic granuloma (6 of 30 cases, search efforts in this area are eagerly awaited.
20 per cent), and systemic lupus erythematosus (3 of I n conclusion, epidermal mast cells appear to be
7 cases, 42.9 per cent). Even with these 3 diseases, a frequent occurrence in various inflammatory
however, the majority of histologically-similar le- dermatoses in the cat. They are usually found in
sions of the same diagnoses did not possess apparent immune-mediated dermatoses, especially those char-
epidermal mast cells: this in spite of having com- acterised by tissue eosinophilia.

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 Epidermal mast cells in the cat 69

RCsumB-Des mastocytes ont tte observes dans l'kpiderme superficiel ainsi que dans 1'CpithClium folliculaire
chez 37 chats parmi 338 ( 11,6%) atteints de dermatoses non neoplasiques. Les mastocytes epidermiques ont
ete le plus souvent trouves dans la plaque eosinophilique et le grandome eosinophilique. La grande majorit6
des dermatoses presentant des mastocytes epidermiques etait caractensee par: ( 1) la presomption d'une'
pathogenie immunodtpendante et (2) une eosinophilie tissulaire. [Scott, D. W. Epidermal mast cells in the
cat (Mastocytes epidermiques chez le chat) Veterinary Dermatology 1990; 1; 65-69].

Zusammenfassung- Mastzellen konnten in der oberflachlichen Epidermis und in den Epithelien der IuDeren
Wurzelscheide bei 37 von 338 untersuchten Katzen (1 1.6%) mit nicht-neoplastischen Plaques oder
eosinophilem Granulom gefunden werden. Die uberwiegende Zahl der Dermatosen, bei denen epidermale
Mastzellen auftraten, war durch die beiden Kriterien 1) vermutlich immunvermittelte Pathogenese und 2)
Gewebs-Eosionophilie charakterisiert. [Scott, D. W. Epidermal mast cells in the cat (Epidermale Mastzellen
der Katze) Veterinary Dermatology 1990; 1: 65-69].

Resumen-En el presente trabajo se describe la presencia de mastocitos en la epidermis superficial y en la

vaina folicular externa de 37 gatos de 338 examinados (1 1,6%) ninguno de 10s gatos examinados padecia
enfermedades neoplisicas. Los mastocitos epidermicos fueron mPs frecuentes en animales que padecian
placas eosinofilicas y granulomas eosinofilicos. La gran mayoria de las dermatosis en las cuales se detectan
mastocitos epidermicos cuales se se caracterizan por: 1. Una posible patogenia inmunomediada y 2.
eosinofilia tisular. [Scott, D. W. Epidermal mast cells in the cat (Mastocitos epidermicos en el gato)
Veterinary Dermatology 1990; 1: 65-69].