Study of Cutaneous Neuropeptides-induced Mast Cell Activation / 대한해부학회지

ABSTRACT

Neuropeptides are widely distributed throughout skin, gastrointestinal tracts, and nervous and immune systems. Neuropeptides act to mediate the vasodilation and induce mast cell activation in humans and rats in vitro. However, the mechanism of the cutaneous neuropeptides-induced mast cell activation and the extent of the vascular permeability by cutaneous neuropeptides are not fully understood. This issue was investigated by the injecting six cutaneous neuropeptides-atrial natriuretic peptide, calcitonin gene-related peptide, neuropeptide Y, somatostatin, substance P and vasoactive intestinal peptide-into the skin of rats and by treatment of six cutaneous neuropeptides in rat peritoneal mast cell (RPMC) in vitro. All of the cutaneous neuropeptides increased the significant vascular permeability by the injection into the back skin of normal rats. All of the cutaneous neuropeptides also induced the mast cell degranulation and the histamine release from RPMCs, in a dose-dependent pattern, and increased the calcium uptake and decreased the level of cAMP of RPMCs in vitro. The effects of cutaneous neuropeptides on the vascular permeability and mast cell activation were inhibited by mast cell stabilization agent, disodium cromoglycate. These findings show that cutaneous neuropeptides can induce the mast cell activation by not only increasing the calcium uptake and decreasing the level of cAMP in RPMCs, but also the increment of vascular permeability in the skin of rats.