CUTANEOUS BASOPHIL ANAPHYLAXIS - IMMEDIATE VASOPERMEABILITY INCREASES AND ANAPHYLACTIC DEGRANULATION OF BASOPHILS AT DELAYED-HYPERSENSITIVITY REACTIONS CHALLENGED WITH ADDITIONAL ANTIGEN

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  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 35  (5) , 741-755
Abstract
Many delayed-type reactions contain large infiltrates of basophils whose function is unknown. These cutaneous basophil hypersensitivity (CBH) reactions were studied in guinea pigs to ascertain whether basophils that are recruited to delayed reaction sites could be triggered for immediate reactivity. CBH reactions (24 h) were compared with nearby skin for immediate hypersensitivity by challenging each site with small amounts of antigen. CBH sites had augmented immediate increases in vascular permeability detected by extravasation of Evan''s blue dye. The ability of elicit this augmented anaphylactic phenomenon correlated with the local presence of basophils, and light microscopy at CBH reactions 15 min after antigen challenge showed a 50% decline in basophil counts. EM showed that progressive anaphylactic-type degranulation of local basophils occurred with minutes following reintroduction of antigen. There was fusion of vacuoles containing granules, exocytosis of granules and dissolution of granules, without ultrastructural disruption of cellular integrity. Basophils in CBH reactions can be triggered with soluble antigen to undergo anaphylactic degranulation, with the immediate release of vasoactive mediators. This phenomenon was termed cutaneous basophil anaphylaxis. One function of basophils at sites of delayed hypersensitivity may be provide the potential for augmented, local, immediate anaphylactic reactivity.