Measurement Of Histamine Release Research Articles

Antigen induced release of histamine and SRS-A from human lung passively sensitized with reaginic serum.

REAGINS are the skin sensitizing antibodies believed to be responsible for the clinical symptoms of hay fever and allergic asthma in man. They differ from precipitating antibodies in that they bind only to tissues of primate species1, are heat labile and do not form precipitate or fix complement on mixing with specific allergen in vitro2. As a consequence of these properties, the classical method of Prausnitz and Kustner3 (the PK test) remains the only reliable technique for measuring reagin activity. In this test allergic serum is injected into the skin of a non-sensitive human and a weal and flare reaction develops after challenge with antigen. The danger of transmitting infective hepatitis virus to the normal recipient in the PK test has led to many attempts, usually unsuccessful, to develop alternative in vitro procedures. Van Arsdel and Sells4, however, with human leucocytes, and Goodfriend et al.5 with monkey lung tissue, have demonstrated satisfactory passive sensitization after incubation with human allergic serum by measuring histamine release after addition of antigen. This communication describes an in vitro technique involving the passive sensitization of human lung tissue with serum from allergic individuals. The release of histamine and “slow reacting substance of anaphylaxis” (SRS-A) after exposure to specific antigen(s) has been used to measure the antigen–antibody reaction.

Effect of Drugs on Mast Ceils

The use of drugs for the study of mast cell function has not been impressive so far. With a few exceptions, little is known about the influence of massive depletion of mast cells on the physiological processes and even less about the effect of drug-induced stimulation of mast cell activities on various functions, normal or pathological. Among the many methods used in the study of mast cells, some are more useful in relation to drug effects than others. The methods are generally of two types based on morphology or on the measurement of histamine release. The latter, in turn, may be studied, using the whole animal, an organ, or isolated suspended mast cells, usually obtained from the rat peritoneum. The majority of drugs commonly referred to as histamine releasers or liberators may properly be looked upon as drugs acting on the mast cell. Several new drugs and new concepts have been added to this chapter of pharmacology. Despite the fact that there are so many drugs that act on the mast cell, there have been few attempts at bringing this pharmacologic information together in an organized manner. This chapter discusses meaningful advances in this field from a pharmacologic point of view. Emphasis is placed on those reports that allow a rational classification of drugs that act on the mast cell, on the species-dependent responses to drugs, and relationship of metabolism to drug effects.