Hung-Tu Huang
Kaohsiung Medical University, Taiwan
Title: Inflammation enhances exocytotic release of secretory granules in serous cells of the trachea in specific pathogen free rats
Biography
Biography: Hung-Tu Huang
Abstract
The epithelium of the trachea of specific pathogen free rats is characterized by the presence of numerous serous cells with secretory granules containing calcitonin gene related peptide, instead of goblet cells with mucin granules. Few studies investigate the secretory activity of serous cells. The present study investigated whether a high dose of histamine administered intravenously, an important mediator of mast cells in pathogenesis of asthma, could increase serous cell secretion that was associated with tracheal mucosal inflammation and edema formation and whether pretreatment with mepyramine, a H1 receptor inhibitor, could inhibit serous cell secretion. Transmission and scanning electron microscopy showed that histamine application resulted in an increase in the number of actively secreting serous cells as evidenced by exocytotic figures and plasma membrane invaginations. Mepyramine, but not atropine, significantly inhibited the histamine induced acute inflammation and serous cell degranulation. The present study concluded that histamine induced plasma leakage, mucosal edema and serous cell exocytosis mediated through H1 receptors in the trachea of specific pathogen free rats.