Histamine contributes to tissue remodeling via periostin expression.

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Cell Biology
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Histamine plays a role in skin extracellular matrix synthesis and tissue remodeling in allergic diseases.
• Periostin, a matricellular protein, is implicated in tissue remodeling, but its link to histamine is unproven.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role of periostin in histamine-induced collagen production.
• To elucidate the signaling pathway involved in histamine's effect on dermal fibroblasts.

Main Methods:

• Primary dermal fibroblasts from wild-type and periostin knockout mice were stimulated with histamine.
• Collagen and periostin production, gene expression, and signaling pathways (ERK1/2) were analyzed.
• Experiments involved H1 receptor antagonists and knockout mice (H1R(-/-)).

Main Results:

• Histamine induced late-phase collagen gene expression in wild-type fibroblasts, but not in periostin knockout fibroblasts.
• Histamine dose-dependently induced periostin expression in wild-type fibroblasts via H1 receptor and ERK1/2 activation.
• Periostin expression was elevated in atopic dermatitis skin lesions.

Conclusions:

• Histamine mediates periostin induction and subsequent collagen production through the H1 receptor-ERK1/2 pathway.
• This mechanism may contribute to the chronic nature of atopic dermatitis.