Interaction of neuropeptides with human mast cells.

Mast cells of human skin, but not lung, adenoids, tonsils, or intestine, release histamine in response to substance P, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, and somatostatin. The substance P receptor of skin mast cells is not of the NK-1, NK-2 or NK-3 subtypes of smooth muscle. Time course and calcium dependency of release by peptides differed from anti-IgE. With anti-IgE, the molar ratios of histamine:PGD2:LTC4 generated by skin mast cells was 1,000:25:2, whereas with substance P these ratios were 1,000:1:0.1. Similar results were obtained with the other neuropeptides. The ability of peptides to stimulate skin mast cell histamine release suggests a mechanism whereby their release from dermal nerve endings is coupled to changes in microvasculature.