INHIBITION OF THE RELEASE OF HISTAMINE FROM RAT MAST CELLS: THE EFFECT OF COLD AND ADRENERGIC DRUGS ON RELEASE OF HISTAMINE BY COMPOUND 48/80 AND ANTIGEN

¹ Department of Pharmacology, Division of Basic Health Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia

Release of histamine by two selective (degranulating) agents, compound 48/80 and antigen, and by a nonselective (cell lytic) agent, Triton X-100, was studied in rat mast cells in vitro. Cooling the cells to 5°C reversibly inhibited the release of histamine by 48/80 (1 µg/ml). Release of histamine by antigen from sensitized cells was also inhibited at 5°C, but on warming these cells to 37°C the inhibition was not completely reversed, presumably as a result of desensitization of the cells to antigen. Cells desensitized to antigen in this manner, however, could release histamine in response to 48/80. Cold did not inhibit the nonselective release of histamine by Triton X-100. Several adrenergic agonists and antagonists inhibited release of histamine by either antigen or 48/80, but release of histamine by Triton X-100 was not inhibited by any of the drugs tested. The inhibition by drugs of the selective histamine releasing agents, antigen and 48/80, could not be related to any known adrenergic mechanisms.

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