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Passive cutaneous anaphylaxis in diabetic rats
A Casacó1, N Merino, A González
1Department of Pharmacology, National Center for Scientific Research, Ciudad Habana, Cuba.
Journal of Investigational Allergology & Clinical Immunology
|September 1, 1995
Summary
Diabetes mellitus significantly reduces the passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) reaction in rats. This skin hyposensitivity is linked to altered blood vessel permeability, not mast cell numbers.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Endocrinology
- Dermatology
Background:
- Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder affecting multiple organ systems.
- The passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) reaction is a model for studying allergic responses and vascular permeability.
- Mast cells play a crucial role in allergic reactions by releasing inflammatory mediators.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of diabetes on the heterologous passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) reaction.
- To determine the underlying mechanisms of altered skin reactivity in diabetic conditions.
Main Methods:
- Induction of diabetes in rats using alloxan.
- Assessment of PCA reactions in diabetic and control rats.
- Quantification of skin mast cells in both groups.
Main Results:
- Alloxan-induced diabetic rats exhibited a significant inhibition of the PCA reaction by 68.2% compared to controls.
- No significant difference in the quantity of skin mast cells was observed between diabetic and control rats.
- Diabetic rats showed reduced skin hyposensitivity, suggesting impaired vascular permeability.
Conclusions:
- Diabetes mellitus impairs the passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) reaction.
- The observed hyposensitivity is likely due to alterations in the endothelial cells of microcirculatory blood vessels, reducing permeability to mast cell factors.
- Mast cell degranulation and mediator release may be unaffected, but their action on the vasculature is diminished in diabetes.