Summary
We determined the histamine content in the skin of 22 adults with atopic dermatitis, one patient with hyper-IgE-syndrome, and 20 controls by the enzymatic double isotope assay. In addition, we performed a pilot study of histamine degradation in the skin. We tested, furthermore, the releasability of histamine from skin sections of patients with atopic dermatitis and healthy controls upon challenge with acetylcholine, anti-IgE, and compound 48/80. Histamine was also determined in 13 plasma specimens and was always <1 ng/ml. The mean±SEM histamine concentration in the skin was 196±30 ng/mg protein in controls and 262±68 ng/mg protein in atopic dermatitis (no statistically significant difference). One control and three patients with atopic dermatitis exhibited a slight, the hyper-IgE patient a marked, elevation of the skin histamine content. No gross differences in the degradation rate of histamine were observed between patients and controls. Acetylcholine and 48/80 induced the same histamine release in both groups; with anti-IgE, almost the double amount of histamine was released from the skin of atopic dermatitis patients as compared to controls. These findings suggest an enhanced releasability of histamine upon immunologic challenge in atopic dermatitis.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Beaven MA, Jacobsen S, Horakova Z (1972) Modification of the enzymatic isotopic assay of histamine and its application to measurements of histamine in tissues, serum and urine. Clin Chim Acta 37:91–103
Lindell SE, Westling H (1966) Histamine metabolism in man. In: Roche a Silva (ed) Handbook of experimental pharmacology, vol XVIII/1. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg. New York
Lichtenstein LM, Marone G, Thomas LT, Malveaux FJ (1978) The role of basophils in inflammatory reactions. J Invest Dermatol 71:65–69
Ring J (1979) Atopic dermatitis: a disease of general vasoactive mediator dysregulation. Int Arch Allergy Appl Immunol 59:233–239
Ring J, O'Connor R (1979) In vitro histamine and serotonin release studies in atopic dermatitis. Int Arch Allergy Appl Immunol 58:322–330
Kazimierczak W, Diamant B (1978) Mechanisms of histamine release in anaphylactic and anaphylactoid reactions. Prog Allergy 24:295–330
Kaliner M, Orange RP, Austen KF (1972) Immunological release of histamine and SRS-A from human lung. IV. Enhancement by cholinergic and α-adrenergic stimulation. J Exp Med 136:556–567
Lichtenstein LM, Levy DA, Ishizaka K (1970) In vitro reversed anaphylaxis: characteristics of anti-IgE mediated histamine release. Immunology 19:831–842
Paton WDM (1951) Compound 48/80: a potent histamine liberator. Br J Pharmacol 6:499
Garland LG, Payne AN (1979) Role of cell-fixed Ca++ in histamine release by compound 48/80. Br J Pharmacol 65:609–613
Buckley RH, Wray BB, Belmaker EZ (1972) Extreme hyper-immunoglobulinemia E and undue susceptibility to infection. Pediatrics 49:59–70
Francis D, Greaves MW, Yamamoto S (1977) Enzymatic histamine degradation by human skin. Br J Pharmacol 60:583–587
Lowry OH, Rosebrough HJ, Farr AL, Randall RJ (1951) Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. J Biol Chem 193:265–275
Johnson HH, de Oreo G, Lascheid WP, Mitchell F (1960) Skin histamine levels in chronic atopic dermatitis. J Invest Dermatol 34:237–238
Juhlin L (1967) Localisation and content of histamine in normal and diseased skin. Acta Derm Venereol (Stockh) 47:383–391
Cole MB, Roberts FE (1966) Inflammatory response to histamine in atopic and nonatopic individuals. J Allergy 38:26–30
Strannegard I-L, Strannegard Ö (1977) Increased sensitivity of lymphocytes from atopic individuals to histamine-induced suppression. Scand J Immunol 6:1225–1231
Verhaegen H, de Docke W, de Cock J (1977) Histaminereceptor-bearing peripheral T lymphocytes in patients with allergies. J Allergy Clin Immunol 59:266–268
Glück S, Staubach V, Schmutzler W (1980) Further studies on the nature of the cholinergic histamine release from mast cells. Naunyn-Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol 311:R54, 215
Pearce FL, Behrendt H, Blum U, Poblete-Freundt G, Pult P, Stang-Voss C, Schmutzler W (1977) Isolation and study of functional mast cells from lung and mesentery of the guinea pig. Agents Actions 7:45–56
Hook WA, Siraganian RB (1977) Complement-induced histamine release from human basophils. III. Effect of pharmacologic agnets. J Immunol 118:679–684
Hino RH, Lau CKH, Read GW (1977) The site of action of the histamine releaser compound 48/80 in causing mast cell degranulation. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 200:658–663
Voorhorst R, van den Hooft van Asbeck MC (1979) Atopic skin test re-evaluated: VI. Skin reactions to compound 48/80 and histamine in patients with atopic and non-atopic chronic respiratory complaints and in normal volunteers. Ann Allergy 42:185–186
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ruzicka, T., Glück, S. Cutaneous histamine levels and histamine releasability from the skin in atopic dermatitis and hyper-IgE-syndrome. Arch Dermatol Res 275, 41–44 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00516553
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00516553