Studies on the Histamine Sensitisation Produced in Mice by Corynebacterium Parvum

Abstract

IT has been known for many years that mice treated with Bordetella pertussis vaccine not only become resistant to challenge with the living organisms but are also sensitised to pharmacological agents and to various stressing treatments. A single injection of suitably grown and killed Bord. pertussis organisms or of " histamine-sensitising factor " extracted from them produces sensitisation to histamine, serotonin, bradykinin, endotoxin, cold shock, X-rays and anaphylaxis. Recent studies suggest that these several sensitising actions of Bord. pertussis are due to a specific action at the level of the /&receptors of the adrenergic system (Kind, 1958;Fishel, Szentivanyi and Talmage, 1964;Munoz and Bergman, 1968;Arora and Sanyal, 1968; Pieroni et al., 1971), although other mechanisms may be involved (Niwa et al., 1959;Shayer and Ganley, 1961;Gulbenkian et al., 1968).We have shown recently that killed suspensions of Corynebacterium parvum, a Gram-positive anaerobic organism unrelated to Bord. pertussis but known to possess marked lympho-reticular stimulatory properties (Halpern et al., 1964), are capable of protecting mice from challenge by mouse-virulent Bord. pertussis (Adlam, Broughton and Scott, 1972). In addition, mice treated with C. parvum or closely related diphtheroid species are sensitised to challenge with histamine (Adlam and Scott, 1973).The purpose of the present work was to compare further the sensitising properties of C. parvum and Bord. pertussis with a view to determining whether the same mechanism is involved. MATERIALS AND METHODS Bacteria.The strain of C. parvum used (Wellcome Number CN6134) was originally supplied by Professor M. Raynaud of the Pasteur Institute. Organisms were grown, harvested, killed and dry weights were determined as previously described (Adlam and Scott).The taxonomic position of C. purvum and related diphtheroids has recently been the subject of considerable controversy. Strain CN6134 was originally named C. anaerobium, but for the reasons recently outlined by us (Adlam and Scott) and because it is doubtful whether C. anaerobium should be listed as a distinct species (Johnson and Cummins, 1972), it will be referred to here as C. parvum.The strain of Bord. pertrrssis used (Wellcome Number CN2992) was from a single routine formalised batch of vaccine provided by Mr H. K. Favelle of these laboratories. Organisms were suspended in physiological saline containing 0.01 per cent. thiomersalate as preservative.

Anaerobic Coryneforms Isolated from Human Bone Marrow and Skin

“…Since Halpern et al [21] reported that Corynebacterium parvum stimulated the carbonclearing activity in mice, it has been known that anaerobic coryneforms including C. parvum, Corynebacterium acnes and Corynebacterium granulosum showed several biological activities, such as antitumor action [10,13,16,18,20,26,35], adjuvant action in immune response [23,29,33,34,38,40], resistance to bacterial infection [2,11,19] and enhancement of histamine sensitivity in animals [1]. Anaerobic coryneforms inhabit the skin, oral cavities, intestines or vaginas of humans, and some of them may be isolated from comedones, pustules and acne vulgaris lesions.…”

Comparison of vaccination of mice and rats with Haemophilus influenzae and bordetella pertussis as models of atopy

“…Out of a wide series of bacterial cells, including B. pertussis and H. influenzue, only B. pertussis had histamine sensitizing properties in mice (Munoz & Bergman, 1968). However the specificity of B. pertussis in this respect can be doubted: Corynebucferium p m u m has been shown to have histamine sensitizing effects on several mouse strains (Adlam, 1973). Most of the bacteria investigated, except H. influenzue, belong to familiae or ordines taxonomically different from the one to which B. pertussis belongs, that is Eubacteriales, Brucellaceae.…”

“…However, only a few papers deal with the specificity of the model: in these cases histidine decarboxylase activity and the sensitivities to histamine, methacholine and serotonin were used as parameters (Anand, Itkin & Kind, 1968;Schayer & Ganley, 1961;Munoz & Bergman, 1968; Adlam, 1973). Out of a wide series of bacterial cells, including B. pertussis and H. influenzue, only B. pertussis had histamine sensitizing properties in mice (Munoz & Bergman, 1968).…”

Mast Cells as a Possible Source of <i>Haemophilus influenza</i><i>e</i>-Induced Changes in Plasma and Lung Histamine Levels

“…Vaccination with B. pertussis resulted in ^-adrenergic blocking effects of adrenaline-induced hy perglycemia, isoprenaline-induced heart rate changes and histamine-induced wheals [18]. Corynebacterium pcirvum also enhanced the sensitivity to histamine in certain rat strains [1]. In the case of B. pertussis, the histami ne-sensitizing effects are ascribed to a his tamine-sensitizing factor (HSF), a lipopro tein fraction isolated from B. pertussis vac cine.…”