LPS-caused secretion of corticosterone is mediated by histamine through histidine decarboxylase.
Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced strong time- and dose-dependent secretion of corticosterone (CS) in C3H/HeN mice. In contrast, C3H/HeJ mice were very insensitive to LPS; 100,000 times more LPS was required with C3H/HeJ mice for producing a similar degree of CS secretion as that of C3H/HeN mice. However, C3H/HeJ mice could efficiently respond to other types of stressors, immobilization stress or injection of histamine, a possible mediator of LPS-induced CS secretion (28), leading to a striking increase in the serum levels of CS. Adoptive transfer of spleen cells from C3H/HeN mice converted x-irradiated C3H/HeJ mice to the donor phenotype. Injection of LPS produced a large increase in the activity of histidine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.22) in the spleen, lung, and liver of C3H/HeN mice, whereas C3H/HeJ mice were far less responsive. Transfer of spleen cells from the C3H/HeN mice made C3H/HeJ mice sensitive to LPS, leading to an increase in histidine decarboxylase activity in the spleen. There was a statistically significant relationship between the activity of splenic histidine decarboxylase and the serum levels of CS. These results suggest that the LPS-induced secretion of CS is mediated by histamine through induction of histidine decarboxylase in the spleen, lung, and liver. This may be significant in relation to the host-defense mechanism against endotoxemia.
D000818:Animals; D002262:Carboxy-Lyases / Q000378:metabolism*; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000378:metabolism*; D004790:Enzyme Induction; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006632:Histamine / Q000502:physiology*; D006640:Histidine Decarboxylase / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism*; D007103:Immobilization; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology; D008168:Lung / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D013154:Spleen / Q000201:enzymology / Q000637:transplantation; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000378:metabolism
D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D006632:Histamine; D002262:Carboxy-Lyases; D006640:Histidine Decarboxylase; D003345:Corticosterone