Allergy.  1994 Sep;14(3):279-288.

Spontaneous Histamine Release and Brochial Hyperreactivity in Allergic Asthma

• Choi BW
• Park IW
• Kim YY
• Nah MJ
• Hue SH

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Increased responsiveness is suggested not only in airways but also in various systems such as mediator-releasing cells of patients with bronchial asthma. Controversy still remains about spontaneous histamine release from basophils in patients with allergic bronchial asthma. We assessed the increment of spontaneous histamine release from basophils in patients with allergic asthma. We also investigated the relationships between the releasibility and allergic parameters such as peripheral eosinophils, total serum IgE, serum specific IgE, and methacholine airway responsiveness. METHOD:We studied 21 asthmatics with positive bronchial reponses to methacholine and Dermatophagoides farinae and 14 controls with negative skin responses to 10 common allergens in Korea, who had no disease including brochial asthma and other allergic diseases. Skin test by prick test and peripheral eosinophil counts by Eosin-Y stain were done. Total serum IgE was measured by ELISA mehtod and serum D. farinae-specific IgE by RAST method. Bronchial provocation test was done by modified Chai's method using methacholine for non-specific responsiveness and D. farinae allergen for specific responsiveness. Leukocyte-rich plasma was collected by sedimentation using dextran-dextrose solution at room temperature. Spontaneous histamine release was done without secretogogue using Choi's method and histamine assay by automated spectroflourometry.
RESULTS
Spontaneous histamine release was significantly higher in patients with allergic bronchial asthma(7.8%, S.D;3.4%), compared with that in controls(5.1%, S.D; 1. 9%) (p<0.01). Spontaneous histamine release had a trend of negative relationship with methaeholine bronchial responsiveness and a trend of positive relationship with peripheral eosinophil counts with allergic bronchial asthma. There was no relation between spontaneous histamine release and total serum IgE and between this release and D. farinae-speeific IgE, neither(p>0.05).
CONCLUSION
Increase in spontaneous histamine release from peripheral basophils was characteristic as well as antigen-specific release in allergic bronchial asthma, although this spontanous release was individually different. The mechanism was proposed to be involved in more leaky cell membrane, but still in controversy. Futher studies are needed about whether increase in spontaneous histamine release form peripheral basophils is involved in histamine releasing factors and cytokines such as platelet activating factors. The significance of increased histamine releasabilty from peripheral basophils will be also investigated in the aspect of pathophysio!ogy of bronchial asthma.

MeSH Terms

Allergens
Asthma*
Basophils
Bronchial Provocation Tests
Cell Membrane
Cytokines
Dermatophagoides farinae
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Eosinophils
Histamine Release*
Histamine*
Humans
Immunoglobulin E
Korea
Methacholine Chloride
Plasma
Platelet Activating Factor
Skin
Skin Tests
Allergens
Cytokines
Histamine
Immunoglobulin E
Methacholine Chloride
Platelet Activating Factor