Cutting edge: histamine is required for IL-4-driven eosinophilic allergic responses

J Immunol. 2012 Jan 15;188(2):536-40. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1101795. Epub 2011 Dec 9.

Abstract

Histamine is an important allergic mediator, and studies have defined roles for both histamine 1 and 4 receptors in allergic airway inflammation. In this study, we show that histamine is necessary to generate IL-4-driven eosinophilic inflammation, as histamine-deficient mice cannot generate eosinophilic lung inflammation in response to intratracheal IL-4 and exogenous histamine restores responsiveness. This is histamine 2 receptor (H2R) dependent because H2R knockout mice fail to respond to IL-4, and a H2R agonist restores inflammation in histidine decarboxylase knockout. Furthermore, alveolar epithelial cells require H2R to produce CCL24, an eosinophil recruitment factor, whereas H2R blockade reduces CCL24 production from wild-type cells. In an allergic inflammation model, H2R knockout mice show significantly reduced eosinophilic inflammation and CCL24 expression. These data demonstrate a previously unidentified role for H2R in allergic inflammation and establishes a synergy between endogenous histamine and IL-4 that supports eosinophilic recruitment to the lung.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Movement / genetics
  • Cell Movement / immunology
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Chemokine CCL24 / biosynthesis
  • Eosinophilia / immunology
  • Eosinophilia / metabolism
  • Eosinophilia / pathology
  • Eosinophils / immunology*
  • Eosinophils / metabolism*
  • Eosinophils / pathology
  • Female
  • Histamine / physiology*
  • Interleukin-4 / physiology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Pulmonary Alveoli / immunology
  • Pulmonary Alveoli / metabolism
  • Pulmonary Alveoli / pathology
  • Receptors, Histamine / deficiency
  • Receptors, Histamine / genetics
  • Receptors, Histamine / physiology*

Substances

  • Ccl24 protein, mouse
  • Chemokine CCL24
  • Receptors, Histamine
  • Interleukin-4
  • Histamine