Abstract
Maitotoxin (MTX) is a potent marine toxin which stimulates several Ca++- dependent processes presumably through an increase in Ca++ permeability. We have examined the effect of MTX on the release of chemical mediators from human basophils and its mechanism of action. MTX (1-20 ng/ml) induced histamine release (37-100%) from both mixed leukocyte preparations and purified basophils. Histamine release activated by MTX was slow (t( 1/2 ) ≃ 15 min), temperature and Ca++ dependent (optimal at 37°C and 1-2.5 mM Ca++). Sr++ ion could substitute for Ca++ in the secretory process. Digital video microscopy analysis of purified (>70%) basophils revealed that MTX (1-20 ng/ml) induced a slow and marked increase of cytosolic Ca++ levels that was temporally coincident with histamine release. MTX (1-20 ng/ml) stimulated the release of sulfidopeptide leukotriene C4 from mixed leukocyte preparations (≃0.5% basophils). However, purified basophils (77 ± 7%) showed no sulfidopeptide leukotriene C4 release even in the presence of large histamine secretion (84 ± 14%). Two organic Ca++-channel entry blockers, verapamil and diltiazem (1-30 μM) inhibited the release of histamine induced by MTX, whereas the dihydropyridine nifedipine (0.1-10 μM) caused only minimal inhibition. These results suggest that MTX represents a novel stimulus useful to study the role of Ca++ in human basophil mediator release.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 979-986 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics |
Volume | 263 |
Issue number | 3 |
State | Published - Dec 1 1992 |
Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Molecular Medicine
- Pharmacology