title: Histamine prevents apoptosis in human monocytes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As chronic atopic dermatitis (AD) is associated with activation of circulating and infiltrating monocytes, monocytes are considered to play a pivotal role in the establishment of chronic lesions in AD. Histamine is an important mediator of inflammatory and allergic responses. Although new immunomodulatory functions of histamine have recently become apparent, the effect of histamine on the life span of monocytes remains unclear.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In the present study, we investigated the effect of histamine on the life span of human monocytes from normal healthy donors and patients with AD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Monocyte apoptosis was induced by serum deprivation, CD95/Fas ligation, or dexamethasone in the presence of histamine, and measured using annexin V-and propidium iodide-staining. Bcl-2 protein and activated caspase-3 were determined by flow cytometry. We also examined the effect of soluble, histamine-induced factors produced by monocytes on apoptosis. Furthermore, we examined whether monocytic apoptosis is dependent on the cAMP pathway.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Histamine prevented monocytic apoptosis induced by serum deprivation, CD95/Fas ligation, or dexamethasone in a dose- and time-dependent fashion. The inhibitory effects of histamine on monocytic apoptosis were blocked by an H2R antagonist, and mimicked by an H2R agonist. Histamine also up-regulated the expression of Bcl-2 and Mcl-1, and inhibited the activation of caspase-3. The culture supernatants from histamine-treated monocytes inhibited monocytic apoptosis, which was partly reversed by the removal of IL-10. Monocytes cultured with anti-IL-10 mAb and histamine did not exhibit an inhibitory effect on apoptosis. The histamine-induced anti-apoptotic effect was attenuated when monocytes were cultured in the presence of a cAMP inhibitor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that the H2R signals induced by histamine allow monocytes to prolong their life span and infiltrate to the site of inflammation. This process may contribute to the establishment of chronic allergic disorders, such as AD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Soga
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Katoh
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kishimoto
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D006632:Histamine / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D009000:Monocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D006632:Histamine