The gastric H3 receptor: a review

Previous in vivo and in vitro studies from our laboratory have revealed a line of pharmacological evidence supporting histamine H3 receptor(s) involvement in the control of gastric acid secretion. We have recently extended our studies to the human gastric tumoral cell HGT-1. This cell was found to contain an H3 receptor inhibiting basal and carbachol-stimulated inositol phosphate formation. Furthermore, we were able to solubilize and affinity-purify this receptor in the form of a single 70 kDa protein. These findings are the first biochemical description of the H3 receptor subtype and the first direct demonstration that this subtype can occur on a non-neural cell. Furthermore, they provide a molecular basis to explain its suggested inhibitory role in gastric physiology.