The role of mast cells in ischaemia-reperfusion injury in murine skeletal muscle.

Abstract

To determine the role of mast cells in ischaemia-reperfusion (IR) injury to skeletal muscle, W(f)/W(f) mast cell-deficient and their corresponding wild-type mice were subjected to 70 min tourniquet ischaemia and 24 h reperfusion. As measured by nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) staining, muscle viability was 9% in wild-type and 94% in mast cell-deficient animals (p<0.001). Assay of residual lactate dehydrogenase activity within the injured muscle (p<0.05) and histological examination confirmed the greater muscle necrosis in treated wild-type than in treated mast cell-deficient mice. There was no significant difference in the degree of neutrophil infiltration, tissue myeloperoxidase content or wate..