Hydralazine is involved in tele-methylhistamine metabolism by inhibiting monoamine oxidase B in pregnancy-associated hypertensive mice.

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy globally affect 6-8% of gestation and remain a major cause of both foetal and maternal morbidity and mortality. However, the antihypertensive medications for the patients of this disease are strictly limited due to the teratogenic potentials. Here, we found that tele-methylhistamine (tMH) increased in response to the administration of hydralazine (Hdz), a vasodilative agent, in the pregnancy-associated hypertensive (PAH) mice. Hdz abrogated the degradation of tMH catalyzed by monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) in vitro. These results suggested that Hdz inhibited the MAO-B activity and consequently tMH increased in the maternal circulation of PAH mice.

Determination of plasma heparin level improves identification of systemic mast cell activation disease.

Diagnosis of mast cell activation disease (MCAD), i.e. systemic mastocytosis (SM) and idiopathic systemic mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), usually requires demonstration of increased mast cell (MC) mediator release. Since only a few MC mediators are currently established as biomarkers of MCAD, the sensitivity of plasma heparin level (pHL) as an indicator of increased MC activation was compared with that of serum tryptase, chromogranin A and urinary N-methylhistamine levels in 257 MCAD patients. Basal pHL had a sensitivity of 41% in MCAS patients and 27% in SM patients. Non-pharmacologic stimulation of MC degranulation by obstruction of venous flow for 10 minutes increased the sensitivity of pHL in MCAS patients to 59% and in SM patients to 47%. In MCAS patients tryptase, chromogranin A, and N-methylhistamine levels exhibited low sensitivities (10%, 12%, and 22%, respectively), whereas sensitivities for SM were higher (73%, 63%, and 43%, respectively). Taken together, these data suggest pHL appears more sensitive than the other mediators for detecting systemic MC activity in patients with MCAS. The simple, brief venous occlusion test appears to be a useful indicator of the presence of pathologically irritable MCs, at least in the obstructed compartment of the body.

Enhanced histamine metabolism: a comparative analysis of collagenous colitis and food allergy with respect to the role of diet and NSAID use.

OBJECTIVES AND DESIGN: To compare clinical data and histamine metabolism of patients with collagenous colitis with those of food allergy. METHODS: In 17 patients with collagenous colitis, clinical findings (diarrhoea, abdominal pain) were recorded. Plasma (for histamine) and 12-h-urine (for histamine and n-methylhistamine, all measured by RIA) were collected during two days with an unrestricted diet followed by two days with an hypoallergenic. The clinical data and measured values were compared with those from patients with confirmed food allergy (n = 21) and controls (n = 41). RESULTS: Patients with collagenous colitis were found to present with significantly more liquid stools than patients with food allergy (p < 0.001) during both types of diet, but they did not experience more abdominal pain. N-methylhistamine in 12-h-urine was significantly increased during both types of diet in patients with collagenous colitis and food allergy when compared with controls (p < 0.001 for all). Patients with food allergy--but not those with collagenous colitis--showed a significant decrease of severity of pain (p < 0.05) when the diet was changed to the elimination protocol. CONCLUSION: Histamine is extensively produced and metabolised in patients with collagenous colitis. In contrast to food allergy, the allergenic potency of the administered food seems not to influence histamine production in collagenous colitis. However, histamine metabolism corresponds with the clinical activity in both patients with food allergy and collagenous colitis.

No correlation between wine intolerance and histamine content of wine.

BACKGROUND: Histamine is thought to be the main cause of adverse reactions to wines. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that the level of histamine in wine affects the tolerance to wine in 16 subjects with wine intolerance. METHODS: We performed a study to examine the effects of wine histamine content in 16 adults with wine intolerance. Each subject underwent 2 double-blind provocation tests with wine: 1 with a wine poor in histamine (0.4 mg/L), and 1 with a wine rich in histamine (13.8 mg/L). Blood was collected for histamine and methylhistamine RIAs at 0, 10, 30, and 45 minutes after ingestion of the wine. Methylhistamine and methylimidazolacetic acid (gas chromatography and mass spectrometry) were measured in urine 5 hours before and 5 hours after ingestion. RESULTS: No significant differences in the occurrence of adverse reactions were noted after ingestion of either of the wines (McNemar test). At 10 minutes, a significant increase was observed in plasma histamine with histamine-poor wine. No significant changes (Wilcoxon test) were observed in the methylhistamine and methylimidazolacetic acid levels after ingestion of either histamine-poor or histamine-rich wine. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that there is no correlation between the histamine content of wine and wine intolerance. The increase of plasma histamine levels at 10 minutes with histamine-poor wine suggested the role of a histamine-releasing substance. The role of acetaldehyde is discussed.

Interdependence of histamine and methylhistamine kinetics: modelling and simulation approach.

In the article a model of histamine kinetics is described. A motivation of this project was to investigate the hypothesis that methylhistamine may be a marker of histamine appearance in plasma. A model has been made to support the hypothesis. Since metabolic and transport pathways of histamine and methylhistamine are complex and not very well known, the relationship between histamine and methylhistamine should be elucidated by mathematical modelling. From experimental data and the information in the literature, a nonlinear and time-varying four-compartment model is proposed. Extensive release of histamine from mast cells when methylhistamine is injected, is modelled as histamine to methylhistamine ratio control loop.

Histamine content does not influence the tolerance of wine in normal subjects.

Histamine has been incriminated as having a responsibility for intolerance reaction to wines. We have made a study by double blind oral provocation test to find the effect of ingestion of a histamine-rich (22.8 mg.l-1) and a histamine free wine in eight healthy subjects. Blood samples were taken at 0, 10, 30 and 45 minutes after ingestion of the wine for measurement of plasma histamine and methylhistamine. Urines were collected 5 hours before and 5 hours after ingestion for measurement of urinary methylhistamine. No subject presented a reaction of intolerance after ingestion of wine rich or poor in histamine. No change in plasma histamine and plasma and urinary methylhistamine was seen. This study shows that the amount of histamine in wine has no clinical or biological effect in healthy subjects, and this emphasized the efficiency in man of the systems for degradation of histamine that is absorbed by the alimentary tract.

Determination of plasma Ntau-methylhistamine in vivo by isotope dilution using benchtop gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

A practical sensitive and specific method for determination of the stable metabolite of histamine, Ntau-methylhistamine, in human plasma using benchtop gas chromatography-stable isotope dilution mass spectrometry has been developed. Ntau-Methylhistamine, a principal metabolite of histamine in humans, was extracted and purified from human plasma using a two-step procedure with Sep-Pak silica cartridges. Quantitation of Ntau-methylhistamine was made possible by the synthesis of Ntau-[2H3]methylhistamine used as an internal standard. Derivatization with pentafluoropropionyl anhydride of extracts of human plasma yielded the bis-pentafluoropropionyl derivative of Ntau-methylhistamine for measurement using selected ion monitoring of the m/z 417/420 ion pair after electron impact on a benchtop gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). By improvements in the plasma extraction technique, inclusion of a synthetic internal standard and the development of a sensitive and stable derivative of the histamine metabolite, Ntau-methylhistamine was found to be significantly elevated in the plasma of patients with the dermal fibroproliferative disorder, hypertrophic scarring as compared to age-matched normal volunteers (98.5+/-29.5 pg/ml, n=9, versus 43.3+/-16.5 pg/ml, n=8, p<0.05). As such, this method affords a sensitive, specific and practical approach to measurement of histamine metabolites in plasma and other biological fluids.

Synthesis of tritium-labelled N tau-methylhistamine for the improvement of extraction efficiency of N tau-methylhistamine from biological fluids.

In order to trace the loss of N tau-methylhistamine, a principal metabolite of histamine, during extraction and purification from human plasma and urine samples, N tau-[3H]methylhistamine was prepared in two steps from N alpha t-butoxycarbonylhistamine (II). In the first step, compound II was deprotonated with NaH in an aprotic solvent and treated with [3H]methyl iodide. The products, N alpha t-butoxycarbonyl-N tau-[3H]methylhistamine (III) and N alpha t-butoxycarbonyl-N pi-[3H]methylhistamine (IV), were then hydrolysed with iodotrimethylsilane under mild and short reaction conditions. Facile purification with Sep-Pak silica cartridges gave the combined two isomers of N tau-[3H]methylhistamine and N pi-[3H]methylhistamine in 10.7% radiochemical yield with a radiochemical purity of > 94% and a ratio of approximately 2:1. Improvements in the extraction of methylhistamine using chromatography on Sep-Pak silica cartridges led to an overall recovery of 82.5 +/- 0.3% (n = 3) based upon total [3H]methylhistamine from normal human plasma.

Effects of an anaesthetic on plasma levels of histamine and tele-methylhistamine in the cat.

The effects of intravenous injection of ketamine on plasma levels of histamine (Hi) and its metabolite, tele-methylhistamine (MeHi) were studied in the cat. The results showed that the anaesthetic, given in doses which prolonged anaesthesia in the cat (2.5-7.5 mg/kg) caused Hi release, which raised the concentrations of Hi in plasma up to 1600%. It was followed by a slower and also significant increase of plasma MeHi levels (up to 1200%). When urethane was used as an anaesthetic no changes of plasma levels were noticed. However, about 50% of i.v. injections of Ringer-Locke solution were followed by a transient increase of plasma Hi and MeHi concentrations.

The role of gastric histamine release in the acid secretory response to pentagastrin and methacholine in the dog.

We have previously demonstrated that both pentagastrin and methacholine can stimulate histamine release from the canine stomach during short term administration of the secretagogues into the gastrosplenic artery. In this study we tested the hypothesis that gastric histamine release determines the acid secretory response to acid secretagogues. Increasing doses of pentagastrin (2, 6, and 20 ng/kg/min) and methacholine (0.1, 0.3, and 1 micrograms/min) were infused into the gastrosplenic artery in dogs, while gastric acid output, histamine and N tau-methyl histamine secretory rates were monitored. Histamine and N tau-methyl histamine concentrations in plasma were measured using GC/NICI-MS. Increasing doses of pentagastrin resulted in increasing gastric output. Total histamine secretory rate expressed as the sum of histamine and N tau-methyl histamine secretory rate showed a significant increase above basal with the two highest doses of pentagastrin. Regression analysis correlating the dose of pentagastrin to gastric acid output gave a correlation coefficient of 0.586 which was very significant. Regression analysis correlating the total histamine secretory rate to acid output gave a correlation coefficient of 0.498 which was also very significant. Increasing doses of methacholine also resulted in a dose-dependent increase in acid output. Histamine secretory rates showed a statistically significant increase above basal only at the 1 microgram/min infusion rate, however, the total histamine secretory rates (histamine + N tau-methyl histamine) were no longer significant at any of the doses of methacholine.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Plasma N-methylhistamine concentration as an indicator of histamine release by intravenous d-tubocurarine in humans: preliminary study in five patients by radioimmunoassay kits.

Histamine disappears rapidly from plasma because of its short half-life. Because a metabolite of histamine, N-methylhistamine, is stable and has a longer half-life, determination of its plasma concentration can be useful in retrospective determination of histamine release. In this study, we measured plasma histamine and N-methylhistamine concentrations after d-tubocurarine (dTc) administration to evaluate the use of plasma N-methylhistamine measurement for confirming histamine release. After the induction of anesthesia, five patients received dTc, 0.8 mg/kg intravenously. A radioimmunoassay kit was used to determine plasma histamine and N-methylhistamine before and 1, 3, 5, and 10 min after administration of dTc. Histamine released by the injection of dTc reached a maximum level at 1 min, but decreased rapidly, whereas N-methylhistamine increased at 1 min and remained increased for at least 10 min. Good correlations were found between histamine concentration at 1 min and N-methylhistamine concentrations at 1, 3, 5, and 10 min, especially r = 0.999 (n = 5) at 10 min. N-Methylhistamine measurement with this kit can ascertain histamine release retrospectively in a semiquantitative manner.

[Plasma N-methylhistamine levels following intravenous administration of pipecuronium in man].

The half life of released plasma histamine (HA) is short but N-methylhistamine (N-MHA) which is a metabolite of HA has a longer life. Measuring both HA and N-MHA, it is possible to know the release of HA in the plasma. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the release of HA by pipecuronium (PPB) by measuring both HA and N-MHA in the plasma. Ten patients received 0.04 mg.kg-1 and other 10 patients received 0.08 mg.kg-1 of intravenous PPB. Plasma levels of HA and N-MHA were measured 1 minute before and 1, 3, 5 and 10 minutes after the administration of PPB. Release of plasma HA and N-MHA was not observed following administration of PPB. We concluded that PPB does not cause the release of histamine because there is no increase of the metabolite, N-MHA, of HA, and PPB can be used safely for patients with allergy.

Histamine and tele-methylhistamine in cat plasma after intravenous injection of histamine.

The effects of increased plasma histamine (Hi) on plasma tele-methylhistamine (MeHi) levels and the kinetics of Hi and MeHi elimination from plasma were studied in the cat. Hi (40 or 50 micrograms/kg) was injected intravenously and then Hi and MeHi were assayed by HPLC. Hi injection was followed by a significant increase in plasma MeHi levels, being maximal at 2-4 min. In most animals, maximal MeHi levels exceeded Hi itself. The half-lives (t1/2) of injected Hi were 0.6 and 13.3 min (mean values) in the alpha- and beta-phases, while the corresponding values for MeHi were 1.1 and 15.4 min. The t1/2 of exogenous MeHi (64 micrograms/kg, i.v.) was in the same range. Inhibitors of histamine-N-methyltransferase diminished the elimination rate of both amines studied. Plasma MeHi can thus serve as a marker for increased plasma Hi in the cat particularly because of its noticeable and delayed elevation after the rise in Hi itself.

Abnormalities in histamine pharmacodynamics in chronic urticaria.

Histamine plays a key role in the pathogenesis of chronic urticaria (CU). The authors of this paper have studied the effects of ingested histamine in 25 patients with CU. A 120 mg dose of histamine, well-tolerated in the healthy subject, was instillated into the duodenum. Concomitantly, plasma histamine (H) levels and plasma and urinary methylhistamine (MH) levels were measured. Intraduodenal administration of histamine was responsible for the development of an attack of urticaria in 64% of patients, while control subjects were asymptomatic. Plasma histamine levels were significantly higher after digestive histamine challenge (DHC) in patients with CU compared with controls. An abnormal increase in plasma histamine was observed in 72% of them. Plasma MH exhibited the same kinetic behaviour with a usually delayed time-pattern. Urinary MH concentration was higher in patients presenting with early-onset urticaria during the first hour than in those with the late-onset type between 1 and 12 hr after DHC. The coefficient of methylation (plasma MH/MH+H) was not significantly different in patients presenting with an attack of urticaria following DHC and in other subjects. Urinary excretion of MH and urinary flow increased significantly in patients presenting with an attack of urticaria following DHC which corresponds to increased absorption of histamine during the 5-hr period following DHC and its role on excretion by the kidney via vasodilation which it induces. This study demonstrates the abnormal frequency of disturbances in the metabolism of exogenous histamine in patients with CU. Increased plasma H accounts for the abnormal passage of H across the intestinal barrier which can result either from intestinal hyperpermeability and/or a deficit in the enzymatic catabolism of histamine. The systems of methylation and urinary clearance of MH appear to be effective. It is thus postulated that there is a deficit in diamine oxidase (DAO) in the enterocyte. The lack of correlation between the kinetic behaviour of plasma H and the onset of urticaria draws attention to the extent of individual variability in skin reactivity to histamine.

Predictive value of in vitro tests for the IgE-dependent and the IgE-independent anaphylactoid reactions to muscle relaxants.

Several aspects of in vitro tests for life-threatening anaphylactoid reactions (AR) to neuromuscular blockers (NMB, muscle relaxants) were addressed and highlighted. They include topics which have been under study in our centre in the past few years. Already available tests and newly developed ones were assessed for diagnostic and predictive value, as well as for usefulness in understanding of mechanism(s) of AR. The theoretical and practical aspects of radioallergosorbent tests (RAST) for antibodies to NMB (particularly IgE), their predictive value and their possible use in "screening" with the hope of preventing AR are discussed. Confirmatory tests after AR include plasma or serum histamine/methylhistamine, tryptase and possibly eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), all of which point to activation of mast cells, basophils, eosinophils and possibly other inflammatory cells. Future anesthetics after AR can be guided by measurement of the in vitro release of histamine, leukotrienes and possibly eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) and serum antibodies. Antibody studies (mainly IgE by RAST) are valuable for diagnosis and, together with other tests, can throw light on cross-reaction and further clarify the mechanisms of AR. In RAST (IgE)-negative cases of AR, which may be due to immune or nonimmune mechanisms, mediator release measurements are particularly useful. Lymphocyte stimulation tests may also be useful in such cases. RASTs cannot be advocated for general preoperative screening, as yet. Further development or selection of potentially "susceptible" subpopulations may improve the predictive value of these tests.

Differential effects of somatostatin and prostaglandins on gastric histamine release to pentagastrin.

The effects of gastric acid antisecretory agents prostaglandins E2, I2 (PGE2, PGI2) and somatostatin on pentagastrin-stimulated gastric histamine and N tau-methyl histamine secretory rates were examined in anesthetized mixed breed dogs. We infused two gastric acid antisecretory doses of PGE2 and PGI2 to test the effect of prostaglandins on pentagastrin-stimulated gastric histamine release. Neither dose of PGE2 and PGI2 had an effect on pentagastrin-stimulated histamine and N tau-methyl histamine release, even though the prostaglandins caused marked gastric vasodilation. In addition, the infusion of the higher dose of PGE2 and PGI2 alone had no effect on histamine secretory rates. In contrast, somatostatin inhibited both pentagastrin-stimulated gastric histamine release by approximately 95% as well as basal histamine release by approximately 60%. Somatostatin also inhibited the pentagastrin-stimulated N tau-methyl histamine secretory rates. The results indicate that neither PGE2 nor PGI2 at antisecretory doses affect pentagastrin-stimulated gastric histamine release, but somatostatin has a very potent inhibitory effect in that regard. Our data suggest that the mechanisms by which prostaglandins and somatostatin affect gastric acid secretion may be diverse.

Circulating histamine and eosinophil cationic protein levels in nocturnal asthma.

1. To investigate the role of mast cells and eosinophils in the pathogenesis of nocturnal asthma, the plasma methylhistamine concentration, serum eosinophil cationic protein level and peak expiratory flow rate were measured 2-hourly for 24 h in 10 patients with nocturnal asthma and in 10 healthy control subjects. Nocturnal asthma was defined as at least one nocturnal awakening per week due to cough, wheeze or breathlessness with an average overnight fall in peak expiratory flow rate of at least 15% during a 2-week run-in period. 2. The lowest peak expiratory flow rate occurred at 02.00-04.00 hours in the group with nocturnal asthma, whose overnight fall in peak expiratory flow rate was 29 +/- 5% in comparison with 5 +/- 1% (means +/- SEM) in the normal subjects. 3. Plasma methylhistamine levels at night (0.200-04.00 hours) were lower than during the day (10.00-20.00 hours) in both asthmatic patients and normal subjects (asthmatic patients: day, median 0.22 ng/ml, 95% confidence intervals 0.18-0.34 ng/ml; night, 0.17 ng/ml, 0.13-0.24 ng/ml; P < 0.01; normal subjects: day, 0.31 ng/ml, 0.24-0.41 ng/ml; night, 0.24 ng/ml, 0.21-0.33 ng/ml; P < 0.01). 4. The serum eosinophil cationic protein level was higher by day (30 ng/ml, 8-47 ng/ml) than by night (21 ng/ml, 5-34 ng/ml; P < 0.04) in the group with nocturnal asthma, but did not change significantly with the time of day in the normal subjects (day: 8 ng/ml, 4-14 ng/ml; night: 8 ng/ml, 5-21 ng/ml).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The role of gastric secretagogues in regulating gastric histamine release in vivo.

The effect of short-term intragastric arterial infusion of pentagastrin and methacholine on histamine and N tau-methyl histamine secretory rates was evaluated in mongrel dogs in vivo. Doses of pentagastrin and methacholine were chosen that stimulate gastric acid secretion equivalently. Histamine and N tau-methyl histamine secretory rates were evaluated by measuring the arterial and gastric venous plasma histamine and N tau-methyl histamine concentrations at several time points during the secretagogue infusion, and gastric blood flow was continuously monitored. Histamine and N tau-methyl histamine plasma concentrations were analyzed by stable isotope dilution technique using gas chromatography/negative ion-chemical ionization mass spectrometry. Histamine and N tau-methyl histamine secretory rates were calculated by subtracting the arterial from the venous plasma concentrations and multiplying the difference by gastric plasma flow. Infusion of pentagastrin resulted in large pulsed increase of histamine release from 1.5 +/- 0.7 ng/min at time 0 to 72 +/- 20 ng/min at 5 minutes, which decreased to a plateau of 20 +/- 8 ng/min at 20 minutes. N tau-Methyl histamine secretory rate increased from 6.7 +/- 1.9 ng/min at baseline to a maximum of 42.5 +/- 13.1 ng/min at 10 minutes, and the increase was maintained for the duration of the pentagastrin infusion. Methacholine infusion was associated with a small but sustained increase in histamine release, from a baseline of 1.6 +/- 0.6 ng/min to 5.9 +/- 1.7 ng/min at 5 minutes. N tau-Methyl histamine secretory rate was unchanged by methacholine. Gastric blood flow changes to pentagastrin roughly paralleled the extent of histamine release, but methacholine is a gastric vasodilator in its own right. Our data indicate that pentagastrin is a much more effective stimulator of gastric histamine release than methacholine and that the overall role of histamine in gastrin-stimulated acid output is likely to be different from the role of histamine in cholinergic-mediated gastric acid output.