Impact of systemic histamine deficiency on the crosstalk between mammary adenocarcinoma and T cells

J Pharmacol Sci. 2007 Sep;105(1):66-73. doi: 10.1254/jphs.fp0070636.

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the influence of lack of histamine (HA) on tumor growth and functions of T cells in order further to illustrate the mechanism of immunological tolerance induction by HA. We assessed the phenotype and cytokine production of splenic lymphocytes in syngeneic HA-free (histidine decarboxylase knock-out) (HDC KO) and wild-type mice, inoculated subcutaneously with the LM2 murine breast cancer cell line. Relative quantification of target mRNA was performed with a TaqMan real-time RT-PCR assay. The CD4(+)CD25(high+) Treg cell numbers were significantly smaller in the tumor-bearing KO mice than in the wild type ones measured by flow-cytometry. The expression of forkhead box P3 (Foxp3) decreased significantly and the copies of splenic Tbox-21 (T-bet) transcriptional factor mRNA was higher in HDC KO tumor-bearing mice than those of normal mice. The cytokine levels showed that a smaller number of interleukin-13-producing Th2 cells were elicited compared to interferon-gamma-producing Th1 cells in the tumor-bearing HDC KO mice. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that endogenous histamine stimulates the growth of breast adenocarcinoma tumor implants in mice by suppressing anti-tumor immunity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma / metabolism
  • Adenocarcinoma / pathology
  • Adenocarcinoma / physiopathology*
  • Animals
  • CD3 Complex / immunology
  • Cell Communication / physiology*
  • Cell Differentiation / immunology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cytokines / genetics
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Histamine / deficiency*
  • Histidine Decarboxylase / genetics
  • Histidine Decarboxylase / metabolism
  • Immunophenotyping
  • Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / immunology
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / metabolism
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / pathology
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / physiopathology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Knockout
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Spleen / cytology
  • Spleen / immunology
  • T-Box Domain Proteins / genetics
  • T-Box Domain Proteins / metabolism
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / metabolism
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / physiology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / metabolism
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / physiology*
  • T-bet Transcription Factor

Substances

  • CD3 Complex
  • Cytokines
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors
  • Foxp3 protein, mouse
  • Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit
  • RNA, Messenger
  • T-Box Domain Proteins
  • T-bet Transcription Factor
  • Histamine
  • Histidine Decarboxylase