Treadmill exercise-induced stress causes a rise of blood histamine in normotensive but not in primary hypertensive humans

Migraine signaling pathways: amino acid metabolites that regulate migraine and predispose migraineurs to headache

Migraine is a common, debilitating disorder for which attacks typically result in a throbbing, pulsating headache. Although much is known about migraine, its complexity renders understanding the complete etiology currently out of reach. However, two important facts are clear, the brain and the metabolism of the migraineur differ from that of the non-migraineur. This review centers on the altered amino acid metabolism in migraineurs and how it helps define the pathology of migraine.

Effects of combined histamine H1 and H2 receptor blockade on hemodynamic responses to dynamic exercise in males with high-normal blood pressure

While postexercise hypotension is associated with histamine H₁ and H₂ receptor-mediated postexercise vasodilation, effects of histaminergic vasodilation on blood pressure (BP) in response to dynamic exercise are not known. Thus, in 20 recreationally active male participants (10 normotensive and 10 with high-normal BP) we examined the effects of histamine H₁ and H₂ receptor blockade on cardiac output (CO), mean atrial pressure (MAP), aortic stiffness (AoStiff), and total vascular conductance (TVC) at rest and during progressive cycling exercise. Compared with the normotensive group, MAP, CO, and AoStiff were higher in the high-normal group before and after the blockade at rest, while TVC was similar. At the 40% workload, the blockade significantly increased MAP in both groups, while no difference was found in the TVC. CO was higher in the high-normal group than the normotensive group in both conditions. At the 60% workload, the blockade substantially increased MAP and decreased TVC in the normotensive group, while there were no changes in the high-normal group. A similar CO response pattern was observed at the 60% workload. These findings suggest that the mechanism eliciting an exaggerated BP response to exercise in the high-normal group may be partially due to the inability of histamine receptors. Novelty Males with high-normal BP had an exaggerated BP response to exercise. The overactive BP response is known due to an increase in peripheral vasoconstriction. Increase in peripheral vasoconstriction is partially due to inability of histamine receptors.

Mast cell degranulation and de novo histamine formation contribute to sustained postexercise vasodilation in humans

In humans, acute aerobic exercise elicits a sustained postexercise vasodilation within previously active skeletal muscle. This response is dependent on activation of histamine H₁ and H₂ receptors, but the source of intramuscular histamine remains unclear. We tested the hypothesis that interstitial histamine in skeletal muscle would be increased with exercise and would be dependent on de novo formation via the inducible enzyme histidine decarboxylase and/or mast cell degranulation. Subjects performed 1 h of unilateral dynamic knee-extension exercise or sham (seated rest). We measured the interstitial histamine concentration and local blood flow (ethanol washout) via skeletal muscle microdialysis of the vastus lateralis. In some probes, we infused either α-fluoromethylhistidine hydrochloride (α-FMH), a potent inhibitor of histidine decarboxylase, or histamine H₁/H₂-receptor blockers. We also measured interstitial tryptase concentrations, a biomarker of mast cell degranulation. Compared with preexercise, histamine was increased after exercise by a change (Δ) of 4.2 ± 1.8 ng/ml (P < 0.05), but not when α-FMH was administered (Δ-0.3 ± 1.3 ng/ml, P = 0.9). Likewise, local blood flow after exercise was reduced to preexercise levels by both α-FMH and H₁/H₂ blockade. In addition, tryptase was elevated during exercise by Δ6.8 ± 1.1 ng/ml (P < 0.05). Taken together, these data suggest that interstitial histamine in skeletal muscle increases with exercise and results from both de novo formation and mast cell degranulation. This suggests that exercise produces an anaphylactoid signal, which affects recovery, and may influence skeletal muscle blood flow during exercise.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Blood flow to previously active skeletal muscle remains elevated following an acute bout of aerobic exercise and is dependent on activation of histamine H₁ and H₂ receptors. The intramuscular source of histamine that drives this response to exercise has not been identified. Using intramuscular microdialysis in exercising humans, we show both mast cell degranulation and formation of histamine by histidine decarboxylase contributes to the histamine-mediated vasodilation that occurs following a bout of aerobic exercise.

Histamine H2 receptor blockade augments blood pressure responses to acute submaximal exercise in males

Histamine is a potent vasodilator that has been found to increase during exercise. We tested the hypothesis that histamine would attenuate blood pressure (BP), cardiac output (CO), and vascular resistance responses to short-term, submaximal dynamic exercise during H2 receptor blockade. Fourteen healthy men (20-29 years of age) were studied. Systolic (SBP), diastolic (DBP), and mean arterial (MAP) BP and heart rate (HR) were assessed at rest and during the last minute of 10 min of submaximal cycling exercise (60% of peak oxygen consumption) in the absence and presence of histamine H2 receptor blockade (ranitidine, 300 mg). Stroke volume (SV) (impedance cardiography) and plasma norepinephrine (NE) were measured, and CO, rate × pressure product (RPP), and total peripheral resistance (TPR) were calculated. Plasma levels of histamine were also measured. H2 blockade had no effects on any variables at rest. During exercise, SBP (184 ± 3 mm Hg vs. 166 ± 2 mm Hg), MAP (121 ± 2 mm Hg vs. 112 ± 5 mm Hg), and RPP (25.9 ± 0.8 × 10(3) mm Hg·beats/min vs. 23.5 ± 0.8 × 10(3) mm Hg/beats·min) were greater during blocked conditions (P < 0.05), and an interaction was observed for TPR. SV, DBP, HR, and NE levels were unaffected by blockade. Plasma histamine increased from 1.83 ± 0.14 ng/mL at rest to 2.33 ± 0.23 ng/mL during exercise (P < 0.05) and was not affected by H2 blockade (1.56 ± 0.23 ng/mL vs. 1.70 ± 0.24 ng/mL). These findings suggest that, during submaximal exercise, histamine attenuates BP, vascular resistance, and the work of the heart via activation of H2 receptors and that these effects occurred primarily in the vasculature and not in the myocardium.

Relation of polymorphism of the histidine decarboxylase gene to chronic heart failure in Han Chinese

Histidine decarboxylase (HDC) is a key determinant of the levels of endogenous histamine that has long been recognized to play important pathophysiological roles during development of chronic heart failure (CHF). Meanwhile, certain genetic variants in HDC gene were reported to affect the function of HDC and associated with histamine-related diseases. However, the relation between polymorphisms of HDC gene and CHF risk remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the associations between 2 nonsynonymous HDC polymorphisms (rs17740607 and rs2073440) and CHF. We designed a 2-stage case-control study, in which we genotyped 439 patients with CHF and 467 healthy controls recruited in Xi'an, China, and replicated this study in 413 patients with CHF and 452 healthy subjects in Kunming, China. We also performed in vitro experiments to further validate the functional consequences of variants positively associated with CHF. The rs17740607 polymorphism showed replicated associations with all-cause CHF according to genotype and allele distribution and also under a dominant and additive genetic model after adjusted for traditional cardiovascular-related factors. Functional experiments further demonstrated that rs17740607 polymorphism decreased the HDC activity. In conclusion, HDC rs17740607 polymorphism is at least a partial loss-of-function variant and acts as a protective factor against CHF, which provides novel highlights for investigating the contribution of CHF.

Arrhythmogenic effect of sympathetic histamine in mouse hearts subjected to acute ischemia

The role of histamine as a newly recognized sympathetic neurotransmitter has been presented previously, and its postsynaptic effects greatly depended on the activities of sympathetic nerves. Cardiac sympathetic nerves become overactivated under acute myocardial ischemic conditions and release neurotransmitters in large amounts, inducing ventricular arrhythmia. Therefore, it is proposed that cardiac sympathetic histamine, in addition to norepinephrine, may have a significant arrhythmogenic effect. To test this hypothesis, we observed the release of cardiac sympathetic histamine and associated ventricular arrhythmogenesis that was induced by acute ischemia in isolated mouse hearts. Mast cell-deficient mice (MCDM) and histidine decarboxylase knockout (HDC(-/-)) mice were used to exclude the potential involvement of mast cells. Electrical field stimulation and acute ischemia-reperfusion evoked chemical sympathectomy-sensitive histamine release from the hearts of both MCDM and wild-type (WT) mice but not from HDC(-/-) mice. The release of histamine from the hearts of MCDM and WT mice was associated with the development of acute ischemia-induced ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. The incidence and duration of induced ventricular arrhythmias were found to decrease in the presence of the selective histamine H(2) receptor antagonist famotidine. Additionally, the released histamine facilitated the arrhythmogenic effect of simultaneously released norepinephrine. We conclude that, under acute ischemic conditions, cardiac sympathetic histamine released by overactive sympathetic nerve terminals plays a certain arrhythmogenic role via H(2) receptors. These findings provided novel insight into the pathophysiological roles of sympathetic histamine, which may be a new therapeutic target for acute ischemia-induced arrhythmias.

H2-receptor-mediated vasodilation contributes to postexercise hypotension

The early (∼30 min) postexercise hypotension response after a session of aerobic exercise is due in part to H1-receptor-mediated vasodilation. The purpose of this study was to determine the potential contribution of H2-receptor-mediated vasodilation to postexercise hypotension. We studied 10 healthy normotensive men and women (ages 23.7 ± 3.4 yr) before and through 90 min after a 60-min bout of cycling at 60% peak O2 uptake on randomized control and H2-receptor antagonist days (300 mg oral ranitidine). Arterial pressure (automated auscultation), cardiac output (acetylene washin) and femoral blood flow (Doppler ultrasound) were measured. Vascular conductance was calculated as flow/mean arterial pressure. Sixty minutes postexercise on the control day, femoral (Δ62.3 ± 15.6%, where Δ is change; P < 0.01) and systemic (Δ13.8 ± 5.3%; P = 0.01) vascular conductances were increased, whereas mean arterial pressure was reduced (Δ−6.7 ± 1.1 mmHg; P < 0.01). Conversely, 60 min postexercise with ranitidine, femoral (Δ9.4 ± 9.2%; P = 0.34) and systemic (Δ−2.8 ± 4.8%; P = 0.35) vascular conductances were not elevated and mean arterial pressure was not reduced (Δ−2.2 ± 1.3 mmHg; P = 0.12). Furthermore, postexercise femoral and systemic vascular conductances were lower ( P < 0.05) and mean arterial pressure was higher ( P = 0.01) on the ranitidine day compared with control. Ingestion of ranitidine markedly reduces vasodilation after exercise and blunts postexercise hypotension, suggesting H2-receptor-mediated vasodilation contributes to postexercise hypotension.

H1 receptor-mediated vasodilatation contributes to postexercise hypotension

In normally active individuals, postexercise hypotension after a single bout of aerobic exercise is due to an unexplained peripheral vasodilatation. Histamine has been shown to be released during exercise and could contribute to postexercise vasodilatation via H1 receptors in the peripheral vasculature. The purpose of this study was to determine the potential contribution of an H1 receptor-mediated vasodilatation to postexercise hypotension. We studied 14 healthy normotensive men and women (ages 21.9 +/- 2.1 years) before and through to 90 min after a 60 min bout of cycling at 60% on randomized control and H1 receptor antagonist days (540 mg oral fexofenadine hydrochloride; Allegra). Arterial blood pressure (automated auscultation) and femoral blood flow (Doppler ultrasound) were measured in the supine position. Femoral vascular conductance was calculated as flow/pressure. Fexofenadine had no effect on pre-exercise femoral vascular conductance or mean arterial pressure (P > 0.5). At 30 min postexercise on the control day, femoral vascular conductance was increased (Delta+33.7 +/- 7.8%; P < 0.05 versus pre-exercise) while mean arterial pressure was reduced (Delta-6.5 +/- 1.6 mmHg; P < 0.05 versus pre-exercise). In contrast, at 30 min postexercise on the fexofenadine day, femoral vascular conductance was not elevated (Delta+10.7 +/- 9.8%; P = 0.7 versus pre-exercise) and mean arterial pressure was not reduced (Delta-1.7 +/- 1.2 mmHg; P = 0.2 versus pre-exercise). Thus, ingestion of an H1 receptor antagonist markedly reduces vasodilatation after exercise and blunts postexercise hypotension. These data suggest H1 receptor-mediated vasodilatation contributes to postexercise hypotension.