Binding of tele-methylhistamine to rat peritoneal cells.

Rat peritoneal cells were used to study the uptake of tele-methylhistamine (MeHi) from the incubation medium. The cells obtained from the peritoneal cavity were concentrated five times. MeHi in the cells was measured using an HPLC-assay with fluorescence detection. After the incubation of the cells in a buffer medium containing different concentrations of MeHi, a significant increase in MeHi content within the cell fraction was found. The increase was dose- and time-dependent. Preincubation with compound 48/80 did not affect the uptake of MeHi by the cells. The results indicate that MeHi may be taken up by mast cells.