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Biomedical subjects

K E Barrett

Publications and source records attributed to K E Barrett.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Activation of mast cells by bile acids.

To test whether bile acids interact with mast cells, dilute, aqueous solutions of five pure unconjugated natural bile acids and their corresponding glycine or taurine conjugates were incubated with murine PT-18 cells (a mast cell line functionally and cytochemically similar to mucosal mast cells) or with freshly isolated rat peritoneal mast cells. Bile acid solutions ranged in concentration from 0.3 to 10 mmol/L; histamine release was assessed by a fluorimetric assay, and cell lysis by cytosolic enzyme (lactate dehydrogenase) release. Lipophilic, dihydroxy bile acids (chenodeoxycholic acid and deoxycholic acid as well as their glycine and taurine conjugates) caused histamine release in a dose-related manner; cholic acid and its conjugates caused much less or no histamine release. Two hydrophilic bile acids (ursodeoxycholic acid and ursocholic acid and their conjugates) were virtually devoid of activity. Histamine release, which was independent of extracellular Ca2+, occurred at 0.3 mmol/L, well below the critical micellization concentration. For a given concentration, unconjugated bile acids and glycine-conjugated bile acids induced more histamine release than taurine-conjugated bile acids; maximal release was observed at 3 mmol/L for lipophilic, dihydroxy bile acids. To test whether bile acids could also cause histamine release from cutaneous mast cells in vivo, rats were injected intradermally with bile acid solutions and histamine release assessed by capillary leakage of Evan's blue dye. Cutaneous blueing was greater with cytotoxic bile acids, chenodeoxycholyglycine or deoxycholylglycine, than with ursodeoxycholylglycine and was inhibited by prior antihistamine treatment. Histamine release correlated highly and positively with lipophilicity and with bile acid surface activity. It was concluded that lipophilic but not hydrophilic bile acids possess concentration-dependent cytotoxicity toward mast cells causing histamine release, that unconjugated and glycine-conjugated bile acids are more potent than taurine-conjugated bile acids, and that mast cell histamine release is highly correlated with lipophilicity of bile acids as well as their surface activity.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Modulation of human cutaneous mast cell responsiveness by a single, low-dose, PUVA treatment.

The present study was conducted to investigate whether a single administration of a relatively low dose of 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MP) with long-wave ultraviolet A (UVA) irradiation alters human skin test responses to a mast cell secretagogue, codeine, and to a vasodilator, histamine. Administration of 8-MP at a dose of 10 mg followed by UVA irradiation (1 joule/cm2) suppressed the skin flare-and-wheal response to codeine and decreased the number of visible degranulated mast cells in biopsy specimens examined histologically. UVA irradiation alone enhanced the skin wheal-and-flare response to either codeine or histamine. The inhibitory effect of 8-MP plus UVA irradiation on both wheal-and-flare responses to codeine tended to decrease, and an increasing enhancement of the skin response to histamine could be observed as the dose of 8-MP was increased from 10 to 30 mg. We postulate that (1) a single 8-MP plus UVA irradiation treatment at appropriate doses could be a potential approach to modulate the mediator-releasing properties of mast cells resident in the skin and (2) the underlying mechanisms of this inhibition is complex, probably reflecting a balance between the inhibitory effect of 8-MP plus UVA irradiation on mast cell-mediator release, enhancement of the vascular response to histamine, and direct photoactivation of resident mast cells.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Dual effects of protoporphyrin and long wave ultraviolet light on histamine release from rat peritoneal and cutaneous mast cells.

In this study we investigated the effects of long wave ultraviolet light (UVA) and various doses of protoporphyrin (PP) on the release of histamine from rat peritoneal and cutaneous mast cells. We also correlated these results with morphologic characteristics and viability of the cells. PP at a dose of 30 ng/ml plus UVA-induced negligible histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells (RPMC), but was able to suppress the ability of the cells to release histamine in response to subsequent exposure to the calcium ionophore A23187, compound 48/80, or the combination of Ag and IgE. This functional change was associated with an increase in cell size, and cell lysis that gradually occurred during 24 h in culture. PP at a dose of 3 ng/ml plus UVA also significantly inhibited secretogogue-induced histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells, but this dose was not associated with significant changes in morphology or viability. These various effects of PP plus UVA were also observed with mast cell preparations obtained by the enzymatic dispersion of rat skin. The suppression of secretogogue-induced histamine release in rat peritoneal mast cells treated with PP (3 ng/ml) and UVA could not be reversed by culturing the cells in the dark for 24 h in the absence of PP. Unlike the direct cytotoxic histamine releasing action of high doses of PP plus UVA, the suppressive effect of low PP doses could not be inhibited by catalase, but could be reduced by the absence of calcium. Our results indicate that PP plus UVA has dual effects on mast cells, apparently involving distinct mechanisms. This implies the possibility that PP and UVA at appropriate doses could be used in photochemotherapy of mast cell-mediated skin diseases.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Calcium mobilization in activated mast cells monitored by flow cytometric analysis.

Changes in intracellular calcium levels induced in mast cells by either antigen or ionomycin were monitored using flow cytometry and the calcium binding dye indo-1. Both stimuli increased calcium levels in responsive cells by a similar amount, but not all cells examined were responsive to antigen. Antigen-induced increases in intracellular calcium levels could be completely blocked by the calcium antagonist TMB-8. Flow cytometry appears to be a useful method for monitoring mast cell calcium concentrations, as it provides the capability to study large numbers of individual cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Histamine release from rodent and human mast cells induced by protoporphyrin and ultraviolet light: studies of the mechanism of mast-cell activation in erythropoietic protoporphyria.

We report that protoporphyrin (PP) and ultraviolet light (UVA) induces histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells, mouse bone marrow mast cells and human cutaneous mast cells in a dose- and temperature-dependent manner. The mast-cell activation was associated with loss of membrane integrity and inhibited by the hydrogen peroxide scavenger, catalase. Histamine release was independent of extracellular calcium in the rodent mast cells, but was markedly reduced in the absence of calcium in human cells. These findings indicate that PP and UVA induce mast-cell-mediator release by a process that may involve hydrogen peroxide formation. There appear to be differences in response to PP and UVA between rodent and human mast cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Immune-related intestinal chloride secretion. II. Effect of adenosine on T84 cell line.

The inflammatory mediator adenosine caused sustained Cl- secretion across monolayers of T84 cells. The effect was promptly reversed by the adenosine receptor antagonist 8-phenyltheophylline and appeared to be mediated through an adenosine A2-receptor [rank order of potency: 5'-(N-ethyl)-carboxamido-adenosine (NECA) greater than adenosine greater than (-)-N6-(phenylisopropyl)adenosine (PIA) greater than or equal to (+)-PIA]. High doses of adenosine and its analogues increased cellular adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) but not guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) or free cytosolic Ca2+. However, lower concentrations of adenosine had maximal effects on Cl- secretion with little or no effect on cAMP. In other respects, Cl- secretion resembled that induced by cAMP-mediated secretagogues such as vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP). Addition of both low and high doses of NECA activated basolateral K+ and apical Cl- channels, exhibited synergism with Ca2(+)-mediated secretagogues, did not produce additive effects with VIP or Escherichia coli heat-stable enterotoxin, and was associated with cAMP-dependent protein kinase-mediated protein phosphorylation. The results suggest that either adenosine mobilizes an intracellular pool of cAMP that is extremely efficiently coupled to the cAMP-dependent protein kinase and is thereafter rapidly destroyed or that second messenger(s) other than cAMP, cGMP, or Ca2+ are able to activate Cl- secretion in the T84 cell line. In the latter case, such messenger(s), as yet unidentified, might represent a final common pathway for cyclic nucleotide-activated Cl- secretion.

2-Chloroadenosine↗
PubMed1989

Differing effects of apical and basolateral adenosine on colonic epithelial cell line T84.

Adenosine and its agonists, 5'-(N-ethylcarboxamido)adenosine and N6-(D-2-phenylisopropyl)-adenosine, induced a sustained increase in chloride secretion when added to either the apical or basolateral aspect of monolayers of the human colonic epithelial cell line T84. Secretion was induced with identical kinetics by addition to both sides, but apical addition was less potent. The rank order of potency of the agonists on either side was consistent with the presence of an adenosine A2-receptor, but the apical and basolateral receptors differed in both their ability to stimulate increases in adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate, and their susceptibility to down-modulation by chronic exposure to 5'-(N-ethylcarboxamido) adenosine in culture.

Adenosine↗