Histamine Release from Mast Cells during Phagocytosis and Interaction with Activated Neutrophils

Histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells was evaluated during interaction with IgG, C3b-bi and Concanavalin A-opsonized yeast particles and activated neutrophils. In contrast to others we could show no phagocytic uptake of yeast particles attaching to Fc, or Concanavalin A receptors on the mast cell. Attached yeast particles opsonized with C3b/bi were also poorly ingested (less than 10% of the attached particles.) Neither could we detect any significant histamine release. If, however, neutrophils were added to the mast cell-yeast particle complex, histamine release was induced particularly in the presence of Concanavalin A-yeast. We furthermore showed that phorbol myristate acetate-activated neutrophils and eosinophils initiated mast cell degranulation and histamine release. This release is not dependent on myeloperoxidase, but on other oxidative metabolites, since myeloperoxidase-deficient neutrophils also induce histamine release. These experiments show that mast cells exposed to immune complexes and activated neutrophils or eosinophils may augment the inflammatory response.