Stimulation of Glucose Metabolism in Rat Mast Cells by Antigen,Dextran and Compound 48/80, Used as Histamine Releasing Agents

Histamine release in aerobic medium from rat peritoneal mast cells by anaphylactic reaction, dextran and compound 48/80 was associated with a stimulation of exogenous glucose metabolism as determined by carbon dioxide and lactate production. There was generally a correlation between the amount of histamine released and the degree of metabolic stimulation. In anaerobic medium a stimulation of lactate production was observed in most of the experiments when histamine was released by anaphylactic reaction and dextran. Compound 48/80-induced histamine release in presence of oligomycin was not, however, associated with any appreciable change in lactate production. Galactose and fructose were metabolized by rat mast cells to CO2 and lactate, but the rate of CO2 production was only 18 % and 29 %, respectively, and that of lactate production (aerobic) 5 % and 3.6 %, respectively, as compared to the metabolism of glucose to these products under the same conditions. 80 mM galactose could partially reverse the cyanide inhibition of histamine release while the same concentration of fructose was ineffective.