The effects of histamine and prostaglandin D2 on rat mast-cell cyclic AMP and mediator release

The possibility that histamine may play a functional role in modulating mast-cell secretion, as has been suggested for basophil degranulation, has both physiologic and pharmacologic implications. Therefore the capacity of histamine to influence rat peritoneal mast-cell (RPMC) cyclic AMP levels and reversed anaphylatic degranulation as reflected in the release of 3H-serotonin (5-HT) was examined. To ascertain that RPMC were functionally responsive to exogenous hormonal stimulation, assessment of prostaglandin (PG) D2 effects on cyclic AMP and 5-HT release were determined in parallel. Although PGD2 (100 microM) increased cyclic AMP and inhibited 5-HT release in the presence of 50 microM aminophylline, histamine (up to 1000 microM) was ineffective was ineffective in both. However, 1000 microM histamine in the presence of 500 microM aminophylline was capable of transiently increasing RPMC cyclic AMP (for 15 to 30 sec) and under these conditions of suppressing 5-HT release. The receptor subtype involved in the suppressive actions of histamine appeared to be of the H-1 type as reflected in the capacity of specific H-1 agonists to reproduce the inhibition of 5-HT release, whereas neither H-2 agonists nor H-2 antagonists had any influence. Thus, under conditions in which phosphodiesterase enzymatic action is impaired, histamine in extremely high concentrations is able to modulate mast-cell secretion. However, it seems very unlikely that this action of histamine has any physiologic significance.