Histamine-releasing properties of mast cells from various strains of mice.

A comparison has been made of the in vitro histamine releasing capacity of peritoneal mast cells from BALB/c, C3H/A, C57BL/6J and CFW mouse strains in response to immunological and non-immunological stimuli namely anti-mouse IgE, Concanavalin A (Con A), ionophore A23187 and sodium fluoride. Anti-IgE-induced histamine secretion was highest in mast cells of CFW mice, intermediate in the cells of C57BL/6J and C3H/A mice and lowest in the cells of BALB/c mice. Similar, although less pronounced, strain-dependent differences were observed in Con A-induced release. Mast cells of C57BL/6J and CFW mice were significantly more sensitive to the action of ionophore A23187 compared to the two other strains, although the cells of each strain responded in different manner. Sodium fluoride-induced histamine release occurred in two ways: from mast cells of BALB/c and C57BL/6J it was dose-dependent at NaF concentrations of 1-15 mM, whereas cells of the two other strains were insensitive to the action of NaF at concentrations of 1-5 mM but at a concentration of 7.5 mM, a very strong potentiation of release was observed. Our results suggest functional heterogeneity of mast cells from various strains of mice, a point to be considered in further studies of mast cell function.