REGULATION OF ANTIBODY RESPONSE BY CELLS EXPRESSING HISTAMINE RECEPTORS

Spleen cells from immunized and unimmunized mice were either passed over histamine-rabbit serum albumin-Sepharose columns or rabbit serum albumin-Sepharose control columns. The immune response potential of 5 x 10⁶ cells excluded from the two columns were compared with each other, and with an equal number of unfiltered cells by injection of the cell suspensions mixed with sheep erythrocytes into irradiated, syngeneic recipients. The direct and indirect anti-sheep erythrocyte plaque-forming cell responses generated by the cells passed over the histamine-bead column were significantly greater than the responses resulting from the inocula of unfiltered cells or cells passed over control columns. These results indicate the existence of a cell population expressing surface receptors for histamine, which functions to regulate antibody responses.