Histamine release by platelet aggregation.

Coincubation of rat serosal mast cells with human platelets leads to a significant release of histamine. which dose-dependently increases when platelet aggregation is induced by various concentrations of arachidonic acid. In turn, histamine enhances platelet aggregation induced by different agonists, this effect being mimicked by pyridyl-ethyl-amine (PEA), blocked by mepyramine and amplified by ranitidine. The data suggest the existence of a platelet-derived histamine releasing factor (PDHRF) and indicate the presence of platelet H1 and H2 receptors, capable of modulating platelet aggregation.