Effect of TMB-8 on calcium transport in mast cells in relation to histamine secretion.

We have previously reported an inhibition of histamine release by TMB-8 both in the presence and absence of calcium and with glucose in the medium. In the present investigation we have studied the effect of TMB-8 on calcium transport. The observations show that TMB-8 inhibits calcium uptake and enhances calcium efflux in mast cells. As antigen-induced histamine release from sensitized mast cells is primarily dependent on extracellular calcium, the inhibition of anaphylactic histamine release by TMB-8 is probably mainly due to an inhibition of calcium influx into the mast cells. We have shown an increased calcium efflux during histamine release from mast cells induced by compound 48/80 in the absence of calcium in the medium, suggesting the release of intracellular calcium stores. The increased calcium efflux was not inhibited by TMB-8. On the contrary, the enhanced calcium efflux caused by compound 48/80, was added to that by TMB-8. TMB-8 thus had no effect on the calcium release from intracellular stores by compound 48/80 but the enhanced calcium efflux by TMB-8 would tend to inhibit histamine release.