title: Histamine at low concentrations aggravates rat liver BRL-3A cell injury induced by hypoxia/reoxygenation through histamine H2 receptor in vitro.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Histamine released from mast cell degranulation participates in the pathogenesis of ischemia/reperfusion injury. The purpose of our study was to define the role of histamine in hypoxia/reoxygenation mediated liver cell injury and to elucidate the underlying mechanism in vitro.
  
  
  METHODS
  Histamine alone or in combination with H1 receptor antagonist (pyrilamine), H2 receptor antagonist (cimetidine) or H3/4 receptor antagonist (thioperamide) at different concentrations before hypoxia was added to rat liver BRL-3A cell which was subjected to 24h hypoxia followed by 4h reoxygenation. Cell proliferation, apoptosis and the changes of ultrastructure were assessed, and MDA contents, SOD activities and ALT levels were quantified as well.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Histamine (from 10(-3) to 10(-9) M) did not affect the growth of BRL-3A cells without hypoxia treatment. However, histamine 10(-8)M significantly lowered the growth of BRL-3A cells challenged by hypoxia/reoxygenation, accompanied with concomitant elevations in MDA contents and decreases in SOD activities, all these changes were blocked by cimetidine, not by pyrilamine or thioperamide. However, histamine (above 10(-6) M) did not show exacerbating effects in BRL-3A cell subjected to hypoxia/reoxygenation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Histamine at low concentrations (10(-7)-10(-9) M) aggravates hypoxia/reoxygenation mediated BRL-3A damage through histamine H2 receptor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China.
authors.forename: Tiansheng
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Xiaoliang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Gan
authors.forename: Shaoli
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Mian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.forename: Zheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Ziqing
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hei
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006632:Histamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017442:Histamine Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006633:Histamine Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000378:metabolism*; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D010100:Oxygen; D051381:Rats; D011968:Receptors, Histamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D017442:Histamine Agonists; D006633:Histamine Antagonists; D011968:Receptors, Histamine; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D006632:Histamine; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D010100:Oxygen