Pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) is localized in human dermal neurons and causes histamine release from skin mast cells.
OBJECTIVE
Pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) is a neuropeptide homologous with vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) which is known to induce histamine release in human skin mast cells. PACAP has not been detected in human skin. The purposes of the study were to investigate the occurrence of PACAP in human skin and to evaluate the histamine releasing activity of the two common pro-PACAP products, PACAP-27 and PACAP-38.


METHODS
Fourteen human surgical skin samples were obtained. PACAP and VIP were visualized by immunohistochemistry. A microdialysis technique was used to measure histamine release in intact skin samples following intradermal injections of the peptides.


RESULTS
PACAP and VIP were localized in dermal nerves in connection with sweat glands. Intradermal injection of 3 or 10 microm PACAP significantly released histamine. Kinetics of histamine release showed peak release 2-4 min after skin challenge. Ten microm of PACAP-27, VIP and somatostatin caused histamine release with similar efficacy, whereas PACAP-38 was less effective. Substance P was twice as efficient as PACAP-27, whereas calcitonin gene-related peptide did not release histamine.


CONCLUSIONS
PACAP is found in human skin and is capable of releasing histamine from skin mast cells.
Odum
L
L
Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Roskilde County Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark.
Petersen
L J
LJ
Skov
P S
PS
Ebskov
L B
LB
D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000494:pharmacology; D006636:Histamine Release / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007700:Kinetics; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry*; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000032:analysis* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051219:Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology / Q000294:innervation*; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000494:pharmacology; D013373:Substance P / Q000494:pharmacology; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000494:pharmacology
C495401:ADCYAP1 protein, human; D009479:Neuropeptides; D051219:Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide; D013373:Substance P; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide; D013004:Somatostatin; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide