Induction of Histamine Release from Non-Immunized Guinea Pigs: A Possible Involvement of Lectin-Like Factor(s) in Pollinosis

Abstract

To investigate nonimmune pathogenic functions of pollens, vascular permeability enhancement (VPE) activity of pollen extracts was examined using guinea pigs nonimmunized against pollens. Ryegrass, ragweed, mesquite and almond, but not common cattail and sumac, induced VPE which was inhibited primarily by an anti-histamine drug. Ryegrass pollen VPE activity was extracted more at pH 7.3 than at pH 6.5 or 8.0 and the maximal activity was extracted in 30 min. Interestingly, more than 60% of the maximal activity was extracted in 5 min. The maximal VPE activity had a dose-dependency similar to histamine (3 × 10^––5M) but lasted longer than the histamine activity. The VPE activity was inhibited by oligomannose-glycosylated ovalbumin or avidin, as well as the oligosaccharides but not by the deglycosylated proteins. These results indicate that some pollens contain lectin-like, histamine-releasing factor(s), which may be involved in part in pollinosis, by inducing mast cell degranulation through a nonimmune mechanism and resulting in allergy-like symptoms.

Mast Cell Degranulation Induced by Lectins: Effect on Neutrophil Recruitment

“…These experimental observations led to the hypothesis that environmental allergens or infectious organisms containing lectin-like substances should be able to initiate or augment anaphylactic responses through nonimmune mechanisms. This hypothesis was confirmed in pollinosis [33]and in experimental infection with type I fimbriated Escherichia coli [34]. …”

Chapter 7 Non-professional Histamine Producing Cells, Immune Responses and Autoimmunity

“…larvae in schistosomiasis). Many times they can be expelled, in part via burst released histamine triggered by lectin-like, MC activating structures (Imamura et al 1996;Pramod et al 2007), which is followed by tearing, sneezing, coughing or expulsion from the bowel. If the condition develops further, these reactions develop, like wound healing, to a robust type 2 rather than type 1 immune responses.…”

Lectins interact differentially with purified human eosinophils, cultured cord blood‐derived mast cells and the myeloid leukaemic cell line AML14.3D10: induction of interleukin‐4 secretion is conserved among granulocytes, but is not proportional to agglutination or lectin–glycoprotein interaction

“…Basophils release considerable amounts of IL‐4 in vitro upon antigen specific or non‐specific stimulation such as lectins [5–8]. Furthermore, lectins are present in widely varying concentrations in the environment, ranging from being substantial constituents of human foods (peanuts, soy‐ and other beans), to airborne lectins in pollen and possibly dust from processing plants handling lectins [9]. This makes lectins interesting candidates for inducing IL‐4 production from other leucocyte types such as eosinophils and mast cells and the induction of Th2 response and IgE‐mediated allergy in non‐sensitized individuals.…”