These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed


  • Title: Histamine release from bronchoalveolar lavage cells from asthmatic subjects after allergen challenge and relationship to the late asthmatic response.
    Author: Heaney LG, Cross LJ, Ennis M.
    Journal: Clin Exp Allergy; 1998 Feb; 28(2):196-204. PubMed ID: 9515593.
    Abstract:
    BACKGROUND: Metachromatic cells obtained from asthmatic subjects demonstrate increased spontaneous and stimulated histamine release in vitro. Their ability to synthesize and store proinflammatory cytokines has focused renewed interest on their role in asthma. OBJECTIVE: The late asthmatic response provides a useful model of clinical asthma. The aim of the study was to examine metachromatic cell derived mediators and histamine releasability in vitro after in vivo allergen exposure in atopic subjects with and without asthma and relate them to the type of physiological response observed. METHODS: Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cells were obtained 4 h after challenge from asthmatics exhibiting a single early response (EAR, n = 5), a dual response (LAR, n = 7), unchallenged (basal, n = 5), atopic non-asthmatic (ANA, n = 6) and non-atopic non-asthmatics (normal, n = 5). BAL histamine and tryptase concentrations and in vitro histamine release (HR) after stimulation with anti-IgE, allergen, A23187, conconavalin A and substance P were compared. RESULTS: Metachromatic cell numbers were lower in normal controls compared with all asthmatic groups and in LAR compared with EAR. Metachromatic cell derived mediators were higher in asthmatic compared with normal subjects. Spontaneous HR in LAR (20.5 +/- 5.0%) was lower than EAR (29.5 +/- 3.9%) and ANA (30.2 +/- 1.4%) (P < 0.05). No differences were seen in stimulated HR between EAR and LAR. HR in ANA stimulated with anti-IgE was greater than LAR (P < 0.05). HR in ANA stimulated with anti-IgE was greater than LAR (P < 0.05). After stimulation with ionophore A23187 (1 microM), release was greater in LAR compared with basal (P < 0.05) and no different at 5 microM. All subject groups responded to substance P (SP) but was significantly more in the asthmatic subjects compared to normal controls (P < 0.05). Allergen challenge did not modify the response of asthmatic subjects to SP. CONCLUSION: Functional differences in metachromatic cell reactivity are present in atopic subjects 4h after in vivo allergen exposure which relate to the physiological response observed after this time and suggest that there is ongoing metachromatic cell degranulation subjects who subsequently develop LAR.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]