Role of substance P in immediate-type skin reactions induced by staphylococcal enterotoxin B in unsensitized monkeys.
The staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB)-induced immediate-type skin reaction in unsensitized monkeys was used as a nonimmunologic mast cell stimulation to search for possible involvement of local neural mechanisms. Evidence is presented that substance P (SP) plays a predominant role in mediating intradermal SEB challenge in unsensitized monkeys. With a rabbit SP antiserum directed against the C-terminal region of SP, a concentration-dependent inhibition of SEB-induced skin reactivity could be demonstrated. Furthermore, a rabbit antiserum directed against the mast cell activating N-terminal part of SP was capable of impeding SEB-induced skin reactions totally. By use of SP antagonists, significant reduction of skin reactions evoked by SEB was found. Finally, capsaicin pretreatment of the skin caused a substantial inhibition of SEB-induced skin reactivity. These data suggest that SEB exerts its effect on cutaneous mast cells via stimulation of primary sensory neurons that contain SP. Moreover, a new in vivo model is described for studies of nerve-mast cell interactions.
Alber
G
G
Max Planck Institute for Immunobiology, Freiburg, West Germany.
Scheuber
P H
PH
Reck
B
B
Sailer-Kramer
B
B
Hartmann
A
A
Hammer
D K
DK
D000818:Animals; D002211:Capsaicin / Q000494:pharmacology; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000276:immunology*; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000276:immunology*; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000276:immunology; D008252:Macaca fascicularis; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D012882:Skin Tests; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus; D013373:Substance P / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000276:immunology*
D004768:Enterotoxins; D007106:Immune Sera; D013373:Substance P; C031818:enterotoxin B, staphylococcal; D002211:Capsaicin