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Updated: Aug 24, 2026
Inducing Plasticity of Astrocytic Receptors by Manipulation of Neuronal Firing Rates
Published on: March 20, 2014
Activation of histamine H1-receptor enhances neurotrophic factor secretion from cultured astrocytes
M Lipnik-Stangelj1, M Carman-Krzan
1Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Korytkova 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. metoda.lipnik-stangelj@mf.uni-lj.si
Objective:
Histamine stimulates nerve growth factor (NGF) secretion from cultured astrocytes. Histamine H(1)-receptor antagonists completely block its effect. In the present study, we determined the involvement of histamine-receptor subtypes in this process.
Materials And Methods:
Radioligand-binding assay was used to establish the presence of histamine H(1)- and H(2)-receptors on new-born rat cortical astrocytes in primary culture. Histamine H(1)-, H(2)- and H(3)/H(4)-receptor ligands, and highly selective protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor were used to influence NGF secretion from cultured astrocytes. NGF, released into the culture medium, was measured by NGF-ELISA.
Results:
Histamine H(1)-receptor agonists (histamine, selected histaprodifens) increased the secretion of NGF from cultured astrocytes in a concentration-dependent manner. H(1)-receptor antagonists/inverse agonists (mepyramine, triprolidine) and PKC inhibitor completely blocked the effect of histamine. Histamine H(2)- and H(3)-receptor agonists did not enhance NGF secretion significantly. In addition, H(2)- and H(3)/H(4)-receptor antagonists did not diminish histamine-stimulated NGF release.
Conclusions:
Our results indicate that histamine H(1)-receptor and PKC are involved in the signal transduction pathway, responsible for histamine-stimulated NGF secretion from cultured astrocytes.
