Renal histamine: release by immune stimuli

1420-908X

Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000

Medicine

Abstract In vitro perfused kidneys of ovalbumin-sensitized guinea-pigs consistently released relatively large quantities of histamine when challenged with the specific antigen (mean±SEM in twelve experiments was 37.7±6.0% of total kidney histamine, maximum 70.6%, compared with a basal release of 0.5±0.46% over a comparable period) but not with non-cross-reacting antigens. There was also no release from non-sensitized kidney. Rabbit antisera to guinea pig IgG1 and IgG2 immunoglobulins (but not normal rabbit serum) also consistently released histamine from perfused kidneys of sensitized guinea-pigs, but the release was smaller than with antigen, and could also be obtained from kidneys of non-sensitized guinea-pigs (maximum release 62.4% with the most potent antiserum). Guinea-pig kidney cell suspensions prepared by collagenase dispersion in vitro responded similarly, but the release with antigen was small (〈10% net release, minus the spontaneous release 9.46% on average) as compared to anti-IgG1 (net release up to 38%) or anti-IgG2 (up to 44%). Rat kidney cells prepared by a similar procedure, and passively sensitized in vitro by incubation with rat immunoglobulin E (IgE) myeloma protein also responded to the addition of antiserum to rat IgE by releasing substantial amounts of histamine (up to 44% net release). In addition, heparin-containing cells (presumably mast cells or equivalent) in the enzyme-dispersed kidney cell preparations in both species were identified and counted by an adaptation of the Technicon H 6000 system used for counting blood basophils, and shown to represent 1 in 10000 or less of the total cell population, which was not different from the count of similar cells in lung and heart tissues. It is likely that at least part of renal histamine content (0.87–1.85 μg/g wet tissue in our experiments) is stored in these cells. These findings show that histamine contained in kidney tissue can be released in anaphylactic reactions in a similar way and magnitude as in lung tissue. They also suggest that histamine can play a role as a mediator of immune and inflammatory reactions affecting the kidney, and that there are mast cells in this organ.

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