The mechanism of the relationship between allergy and tumors is revealed
While in anticipation of the spring exacerbation of allergies, many are stocking up on antihistamines, researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University, working under the guidance of Professor Daniel H. Conrad, have discovered a previously unknown relationship between allergic and oncological diseases. The data obtained can form the basis of new cancer treatment methods using conventional antiallergic drugs.
Histamine is synthesized by cells of the immune system, known as mast cells, in response to ingestion of allergens and other pathogens. It is involved in the development of inflammatory processes, as well as in the mechanisms of protecting tumors from the immune system. In earlier experiments, the researchers demonstrated that blocking histamine synthesis in an animal model suppresses the growth of melanomas.
The authors found that histamine induces activation, and also supports the survival and proliferation of myeloid suppressor cells that promote tumor growth by suppressing the activity of the immune system. Moreover, it turned out that these cells actively migrate to areas of accumulation of mast cells, which contributes to their accumulation in areas of inflammation, including in the immediate vicinity of tumors. This vicious circle is intensified by the fact that histamine released by mast cells provides further support to myeloid suppressor cells.
Histamine has the most pronounced stimulating effect on one of the two subpopulations of myeloid suppressor cells, namely monocytic cells. Experiments have shown that the number of these cells is significantly reduced by the action of common antihistamines, such as cetirizine and cimetidine.
Moreover, the authors found that significantly more myeloid suppressor cells circulate in the bloodstream of people with allergic diseases than in the bloodstream of people who do not suffer from allergies.
In the near future, they plan to understand in more detail the mechanisms of interaction between myeloid suppressor cells and mast cells, as well as the involvement of histamine and other immune mediators synthesized by the latter.
Article by Rebecca K. Martin et al. Mast cell histamine promotes the immunoregulatory activity of myeloid-derived suppressor cells published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology.
Evgeniya Ryabtseva
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru based on the materials of Virginia Commonwealth University:
Researchers uncover allergy-cancer connection.
25.03.2014