Abstract
In this prospective study, a quantitative determination of histamine and tryptase in nasal secretions after nasal phosphate buffered saline (PBS) and allergen challenge was performed in 18 atopic patients who were compared with ten non-allergic healthy volunteers. The aim of the study was to determine the normal and pathological concentrations of these important mediators in nasal secretions. The second objective was to test the relevance of these two mast cell secreted mediators after nasal challenge. Results showed that the concentrations of tryptase in almost all samples were under the minimal detection limit (< 0.5 μU/g) and only a sigrtificant increase of tryptase (median, 28 μU/g) occurred immediately after nasal allergen challenge in the patient group. Histamine concentration significantly increased after every nasal PBS challenge (median, 69 ng/g after first PBS challenge and 165 ng/g after second PBS challenge) in the control group, as well as in the patient group after both PBS (median, 69 ng/g) and allergen (median, 214 ng/g) challenge. On the other hand, a rapid onset of sneezing and increase in nasal airway resistance was experienced only in the patient group after nasal allergen challenge, but did not occur after PBS challenge even though the histamine concentrations significantly increased in both groups. This study suggests that tryptase is a more preferable marker than histamine in quantitative monitoring of mast cell activation especially during the early phase nasal allergic reaction.
Full Text
The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (479.2 KB).
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Biewenga J., Stoop A. E., Baker H. E., Swart S. J., Nauta J. J., van Kamp G. J., van der Baan S. Nasal secretions from patients with polyps and healthy individuals, collected with a new aspiration system: evaluation of total protein and immunoglobulin concentrations. Ann Clin Biochem. 1991 May;28(Pt 3):260–266. doi: 10.1177/000456329102800311. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- COOPER J. A., SCHAYER R. W. Metabolism of C14 histamine in man. J Appl Physiol. 1956 Nov;9(3):481–483. doi: 10.1152/jappl.1956.9.3.481. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Clement P. A., van Dishoeck A., van de Wal J., Stoop P., Hoek T., van Strick R. Nasal provocation and passive anterior rhinomanometry (PAR). Clin Allergy. 1981 May;11(3):293–301. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.1981.tb01597.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Juliusson S., Holmberg K., Baumgarten C. R., Olsson M., Enander I., Pipkorn U. Tryptase in nasal lavage fluid after local allergen challenge. Relationship to histamine levels and TAME-esterase activity. Allergy. 1991 Aug;46(6):459–465. doi: 10.1111/j.1398-9995.1991.tb04225.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Pipkorn U. Mediators and nasal allergy. Clin Exp Allergy. 1989 Nov;19(6):585–589. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.1989.tb02750.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Proud D., Bailey G. S., Naclerio R. M., Reynolds C. J., Cruz A. A., Eggleston P. A., Lichtenstein L. M., Togias A. G. Tryptase and histamine as markers to evaluate mast cell activation during the responses to nasal challenge with allergen, cold, dry air, and hyperosmolar solutions. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1992 Jun;89(6):1098–1110. doi: 10.1016/0091-6749(92)90293-b. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Rasp G., Hochstrasser K. Tryptase in nasal fluid is a useful marker of allergic rhinitis. Allergy. 1993 Feb;48(2):72–74. doi: 10.1111/j.1398-9995.1993.tb00688.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]