Histamine Release in vivo during Anaphylaxis in Mice

Abstract

High concentrations of histamine were found in the blood of mice undergoing anaphylactic shock induced after active or passive sensitization with homologous antibodies or after challenge with preformed Ag-Ab complexes. The magnitude of histamine liberation varies in different mouse strains and there is no apparent correlation between the magnitude of histamine release and the anaphylactic mortality rates in the different strains. Mice of different strains also significantly differ in their susceptibility to the histamine releasing properties of Ag-Ab complexes. The significance of these findings to the mechanism of mouse anaphylaxis is discussed.