Further studies on the effect of nitrogen dioxide on mast cells: The effect of the metabolite, nitrite

Journal Article · Sat May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1993 · Environmental Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1006/enrs.1993.1066· OSTI ID:6279480

Fujimaki, Hidekazu ^[1]; Ozawa, Masashi ^[2]; Bissonnette, E; Befus, A D ^[3]

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1. National Institute for Environmental Studies, Onogawa (Japan)
2. The Jikei Univ. School of Medicine, Tokyo (Japan)
3. Univ. of Calgary, Alberta (Canada)

To evaluate the relationship between atmospheric nitrogen dioxide exposure and the development of allergic diseases, the effects of nitrite as a chemical product of inhaled nitrogen dioxide on mast cell functions were investigated. We have studied nitride-induced histamine release from two functionally distinct mast cell populations, namely peritoneal mast cells (PMC) and intestinal mucosal mast cells (IMMC) of Nippostrongylus brasiliensis-infected rats. High concentrations of nitrite alone (10, 20, and 50 mM) induced histamine release from IMMC, but not from PMC. Moreover, histamine release from PMC and IMMC stimulated with sensitizing antigen was significantly enhanced by pretreatment with 50 mM nitrite or nitrate. No differences in histamine release from nitrite-treated and control PMC were seen below 1 mM. To investigate the effect of nitrite on tumor cell cytotoxic activity, PMC were incubated with various concentrations of nitrite. Pretreatment with 5 and 50 mM nitrite markedly depressed tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-[alpha]-dependent natural cytotoxicity of PMC for the tumor target WEHI-164. Thus, high concentrations of nitrite enhanced mast cell histamine release, but depressed TNF-[alpha]-dependent cytotoxicity. However, low concentrations of nitrite (<1 mM) that would normally be produced by short-term atmospheric exposure to nitrogen dioxide may have no significant effects on mast cell functions. 27 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab.

• OSTI ID: 6279480
• Journal Information: Environmental Research; (United States), Vol. 61:2; ISSN 0013-9351
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
AIR POLLUTION
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
ALLERGY
ETIOLOGY
MAST CELLS
DYNAMIC FUNCTION STUDIES
NITRITES
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
HISTAMINE
NECROSIS
NIPPOSTRONGYLUS
NITROGEN DIOXIDE
RATS
AMINES
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMALS
ASCHELMINTHES
AZOLES
CHALCOGENIDES
CONNECTIVE TISSUE CELLS
HELMINTHS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
HOOKWORM
IMIDAZOLES
MAMMALS
NEMATODES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARASITES
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
POLLUTION
RODENTS
SOMATIC CELLS
VERTEBRATES
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism &amp; Toxicology
550200 - Biochemistry