title: Atopic diseases and mediators.
abstract: Atopic diseases occur due to hypersensitivity to environmental antigens. A complex interaction of a variety of cell types and mediators elicits the clinical symptoms of atopic diseases. The release of histamine is increased in patients with atopic diseases. The factors regulating this release may include histamine-releasing factors, interleukin-3, the c-kit ligand, the cyclic nucleotide system, psychological factors, metabolites of arachidonic acid and cytokines. The release of histamine and the sensitivity to the release of histamine varies between individuals. Moreover, there is a circadian variation in the levels of histamine. However, atopic diseases cannot be explained by a single mediator, but involve a variety of substances. Specific antagonists can be used to elucidate the role of the various mediators in different atopic diseases.
authors.affiliation: University Hospital of Dermatology, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ring
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000276:immunology*; D011969:Receptors, Histamine H1 / Q000502:physiology*; D011970:Receptors, Histamine H2 / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D011969:Receptors, Histamine H1; D011970:Receptors, Histamine H2