title: Modulatory effects of glycosaminoglycans and histamine on lymphocyte mitogenesis.
abstract: Since mast cells have previously been shown to be potent modulators of lymphocyte function, the effect of varying concentrations of three mast cell- or basophil- as well as skin ground substance-derived glycosaminoglycans (GAG; heparin, chondroitin sulfate, hyaluronic acid) and of histamine was investigated on rat spleen cell 3H-thymidine incorporation in the absence and presence of mitogens. Modulation proved to be different for the three GAG: chondroitin sulfate was inhibitory and hyaluronic acid enhancing, while heparin exhibited a more complex pattern, with inhibition in control and phytohemagglutinin-stimulated cultures and enhancement in concanavalin A-driven cultures, in parallel to histamine. The data suggest that ground substance GAG as well as mast cell- and basophil-derived mediators in the skin can have a marked and complex modulatory effect on the function of lymphocytes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University Clinics, Münster, FRG.
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Czarnetzki
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Wüllenweber
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates / Q000494:pharmacology; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006493:Heparin / Q000494:pharmacology; D006632:Histamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D013936:Thymidine / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D006025:Glycosaminoglycans; D006632:Histamine; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D006493:Heparin; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates; D013936:Thymidine