Enhancement of histamine release from human basophils pretreated with different sialidases

Histamine release from human basophils was investigated in vitro after removal of cell membrane sialic acid by three different sialidases. Pretreatment of the cells with sialidases from Cl. Perfringens, V. Cholera or Influenza virus A2 enhanced histamine release induced by subsequent stimulation of the cells with anti-IgE or the plant lectin Concanavalin A and caused a shift to the left of the dose-response curve for anti-IgE. The enhanced histamine release was reflected in a increased calcium sensitivity, thus suggesting that cell membrane sialic acid might be involved in the calcium fluxes preceeding histamine release. In higher doses the sialidase from Cl. Perfringens caused the cells to release histamine by itself, whereas the sialidases from V. Cholera and Influenza virus A2 in high doses inhibited the cell response to Concanavalin A.