Synergism between platelet-activating factor (PAF-acether) and prostaglandin E2 in man.

In animal experiments the oedema in the acute inflammatory response is dependent on both increased blood flow and increased vasopermeability (the two component hypothesis). We have confirmed the validity of this hypothesis in man by demonstrating synergistic interaction between PAF-acether (a permeability agent) and prostaglandin E2 (a vasodilator). The mixture of PAF-acether and PGE2 (50 ng; 0.5 micrograms) produced a larger cutaneous wheal volume response than could be accounted for either by summation of the responses to the individual mediators or by the slopes of their dose response curves.