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IMPAIRED HISTAMINE METABOLISM IN HUMAN ERYTHEMATOUS DERMATOSES
Author(s) -
Imamura Sadao,
Tachibana Takao,
Taniguchi Shinkichi
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
the journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.9
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1346-8138
pISSN - 0385-2407
DOI - 10.1111/j.1346-8138.1985.tb02846.x
Subject(s) - histamine , psoriasis , erythema , histamine n methyltransferase , dermatology , erythema nodosum , enzyme , medicine , human skin , erythema multiforme , chemistry , biochemistry , biology , histamine h2 receptor , receptor , disease , antagonist , genetics
The specific activities of histamine‐N‐methyltransferase, the only enzyme to degrade histamine in human skin, were examined in 7 specimens from normal skin, 42 from erythema multiforme, erythema nodosum, erythema annulare or drug‐induced erythema and 12 from psoriasis or eczema. The enzyme activity was 3.45 ± 0.17 pmol/min/mg protein (mean ± S.E., n=7) in normal skin. The activities were significantly lower in 24 out of 30 freshly active lesional sites of erythematous dermatoses (lower than 2 S.D. from the mean in normal skin), while the activities in the central clearing areas were rather higher than those in the freshly active lesions. No significant changes were seen in the lesional skin of psoriasis or eczema. Decreased histamine‐degrading enzyme activity in the freshly active lesions of erythematous dermatoses may suggest the long lasting effect of the amine that was released in the lesions. In spite of the different clinical figures and multiplicity of etiologies, decreased histamine‐N‐methyltransferase activity was quite commonly observed, suggesting a similarity in the pathomechanisms of these dermatoses.