Histamine modulates the production of interferon-gamma and interleukin-2 by mitogen-activated human mononuclear blood cells.

Histamine inhibited the production of interferon-gamma and interleukin 2 (IL-2) induced in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells by Staphylococcal Enterotoxin A (SEA) but had no effect on the expression of IL-2 receptors. The effects on lymphokine production were dose dependent with maximal inhibition occurring at histamine concentrations of 10(-4) to 10(-6) M. The H2-agonist 4-methylhistamine but not the H1-agonist 2-methylhistamine modulated lymphokine production in a similar manner as histamine. Histamine at concentrations of 10(-3) to 10(-8) M had no inhibitory effect directly on the activity of admixed IL-2 containing medium. The inhibitory effects of histamine could be reversed by the H2-antagonist cimetidine but not by the H1-antagonist diphenhydramine. This indicates that the inhibitory effects of histamine on lymphokine production are mediated through H2-receptors on mononuclear cells.