Studies on the 14C-histamine release induced by noradrenaline in mouse neoplastic mast cells

Murine neoplastic mast cells incubated with labelled histamine released 14C-histamine when exposed to increasing concentrations of noradrenaline. This process was blocked by low temperature, by inhibiting oxidative metabolism and glycolysis, by calcium deprivation and by cytochalasin B. Electron microscope observations of cells exposed to noradrenaline revealed an increase of the Juxtanuclear Golgi Apparatus, and the appearance of a pronounced peripheral vacuolization. Cells exposed simultaneously to noradrenaline and cytochalasin B were characterized by a further increase of the Golgi apparatus, and by the appearance of many electron dense cytoplasmic granules. The possible mechanisms of the noradrenaline induced histamine release were discussed.