In vitro histamine and serotonin release by radiographic contrast media (RCM). Complement-dependent and -independent release reaction and changes in ultrastructure of human blood cells.

Peripheral leucocytes and platelets from twenty healthy volunteers were incubated in vitro with radiographic contrast media (diatrizoate-Hypaque, iothalamate-Conray and iodipamide-Cholografin) under varying conditions. All radiographic contrast media (RCM) were able to induce histamine release from peripheral leucocytes and the release reaction was dose-dependent. There were individual differences in the sensitivity of leucocytes to different RCM. The highest values (up to 80% histamine release) were found with high concentrations (0.07-0.3 M) of diatrizoate. The addition of normal human serum (NHS) to the reaction mixture led to a further increase in histamine release (P is less than 0.01), probably due to complement activation. The mechanism seems to be mediated by proteins of the alternative pathway, because serum depleted of complement components (factor B, factor D, properdin) did not show this synergistic effect. IgG-depleted serum, however, was able to show the augmented release reaction. Washed platelets incubated with RCM released serotonin in a dose- and time-dependent reaction. The most powerful serotonin-releasing RCM was found to be iodipamide, which produced a release reaction in all people investigated at concentrations of 0.04-0.09 M, while diatrizoate and iothalamate were effective only in half of the tested individuals at high concentrations (0.3 and 0.2 M respectively). The addition of plasma proteins to the reaction mixture inhibited the serotonin release quantitatively. There was no difference in inhibitory potency between autologous and heterologous plasma or serum; sera depleted of various complement components showed similar effects as NHS. The serotonin release was not due to platelet lysis, as determined by the concentration of lactic dehydrogenase present in the supernatant during serotonin release. Incubation of the leucocytes with RCM produced ultrastructural changes, including degranulation of basophils, aggregation of platelets and infiltration of the aggregates by polymorphonuclear leucocytes. The most prominent changes were observed when complement was present in the reaction mixture.