The histaminergic system influences various activities of the central nervous system, including cardiovascular regulation. Histamine administered intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) in anesthetized rats produces the increase in mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR), however, in contrast to normotensive animals, histamine-induced rises in MAP and HR in critically hypotensive animals ar...

Recent studies support roles for neurokinin-1 (NK-1) and gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) receptor-expressing spinal neurons in itch. We presently investigated expression of substance P (SP) and GRP in pruritogen-responsive primary sensory neurons and roles for these neuropeptides in itch signaling. Responses of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) cells to various pruritogens were observed by calcium ima...

Background Uteroglobin (CC10) is well known to be an immuno-suppressive protein secreted from airway epithelial cells after inflammatory stimulation and function in development of allergic disorders. Although histamine H1 receptor antagonists are used for the treatment of allergic disorders, the influence of the agents on CC10 production is not well understood. In the present study, we examined...

An in situ saline-perfused systemic heart/posterior cardinal vein preparation of the Atlantic hagfish (Myxine glutinosa) was used to assess (1) the ability of the chromaffin tissue to release catecholamines in response to adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH; 7.5 i.u. kg-1), serotonin (250 nmol kg-1), carbachol (100 µmol kg-1), [Asn1-Val5]angiotensin II (Ang II; 100 nmol kg-1), histamine (0....

In this paper we try to evaluate the effect of terfenadine, a selective H1-receptor antagonist on alcoholic beverage – induced bronchoconstriction. The size distribution proves that for each inflammatory action the hormone histamine is released in a large number and we conclude that the release of histamine makes a major contribution to alcoholic beverage – induced bronchoconstriction in asthma...

Background: Previous investigations have revealed, cimetidine, a histamine H2-receptor antagonist, show radioprotective effects against gamma- and neutron-induced micronuclei in bone marrow erythrocytes. In this study, the anticlastogenic effects of famotidine and ranitidine, which act similar to cimetidine as histamine H2-receptor antagonists, was investigated. Materials and Methods : Balb/c m...

Mast cells promote both innate and acquired immune responses, but little is known about the effect of mast cells on T regulatory (T(reg)) cell function. In this study, we show for the first time that the capacity of murine CD4(+)CD25(+) T(reg) cells to suppress in vitro proliferation by CD4(+)CD25(-) T responder (T(resp)) cells in response to anti-CD3/anti-CD28 mAb-coated beads was reduced in t...

Adrenal steroidogenesis is closely correlated with increases in adrenal blood flow. Many reports have studied the regulation of adrenal blood flow in vivo and in perfused glands, but until recently few studies have been conducted on isolated adrenal arteries. The present study examined vasomotor responses of isolated bovine small adrenal cortical arteries to histamine, an endogenous vasoactive ...

Histamine is a biogenic amine that is widely distributed and has multiple functions, but the role it plays in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the origin and contribution of endogenous histamine to AMI. Histidine decarboxylase (HDC) is the unique enzyme responsible for histamine generation. Using HDC-EGFP bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) tra...