Abstract
BACKGROUND: The purposes of the study were to characterize allergen-induced histamine release in intact human skin in vivo by using a novel microdialysis technique and to study covariates influencing histamine releasability.
METHODS: Hollow microdialysis fibers were inserted into the upper dermis in 15 timothy-sensitivity subjects. Up to 12 fibers were inserted in each subject. Each fiber was perfused with Krebs-Ringer's solution at a rate of 3.0 microliters/min. Three to four serial dilutions of allergen were applied to the skin by intracutaneous injections or skin prick test above individual fibers. Samples were collected in two 2-minute fractions before skin challenge and in 10 consecutive samples for 20 minutes after skin challenge. Histamine was assayed spectrofluorometrically.
RESULTS: A significant dose-response relationship for histamine release was demonstrated with intracutaneous tests and skin prick tests. The time to reach peak histamine release after an intracutaneous test was 4 to 8 minutes, compared with 12 to 14 minutes for a skin prick test. Histamine release correlated significantly with wheal size. Intrasubject coefficient of variation on histamine release was about 20%. A substantial intersubject variation in histamine releasability was observed. Seventy to seventy-five percent of the variation could be accounted for by a combination of gender, total and allergen-specific IgE, and an in vitro basophil histamine release test.
CONCLUSIONS: Using a skin microdialysis technique, we have described in detail histamine release in intact human skin by allergen. The microdialysis method proved to be a reproducible technique for monitoring histamine release in allergic skin reactions and for studying histamine releasability of skin mast cells in vivo.
Originalsprog | Engelsk |
---|---|
Tidsskrift | Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology |
Vol/bind | 97 |
Udgave nummer | 2 |
Sider (fra-til) | 672-9 |
Antal sider | 8 |
ISSN | 0091-6749 |
DOI | |
Status | Udgivet - feb. 1996 |
Udgivet eksternt | Ja |
Emneord
- Adult
- Allergens
- Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
- Female
- Histamine Release
- Humans
- Injections, Intradermal
- Kinetics
- Male
- Microdialysis
- Reproducibility of Results
- Skin
- Skin Tests