Effect of histamine on the gene expression and biosynthesis of complement components C2, factor B and C3 in mouse peritoneal macrophages.

The gene expression and biosynthesis of C2, factor B and C3 have been investigated in vitro in mouse resident peritoneal macrophages after incubation with histamine. C2- and factor B-specific mRNA and the amount of the immunoprecipitated C2 and factor B were decreased by 10(-4) M and 10(-8) M histamine. These effects can be abrogated by the H2 antagonist cimetidine and mimicked by the H2 agonists impromidine and 4-methylhistamine. Since the H1 antagonist chlorpheniramine and the H1 agonists PEA and 2-methylhistamine have little effect on C2 and are ineffective on factor B, a strong H2 receptor dependence of the inhibition of C2 and factor B gene expression and biosynthesis is suggested. Conversely, the C3 gene expression and biosynthesis can be influenced through both H1 and H2 receptors, e.g. elevated by histamine + cimetidine, PEA and 2-methylhistamine through H1 receptors, and inhibited by histamine + chlorpheniramine, impromidine and 4-methylhistamine through H2 receptors. The data obtained by quantification of C2, factor B and C3 mRNA concentration of peritoneal macrophages suggest that the regulation of biosynthesis of these complement components by histamine in mouse peritoneal macrophages is under pretranslational control.