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Histamine Role in Malaria

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Book cover Biomedical Aspects of Histamine

Abstract

Histamine, a biogenic amine derived from the decarboxylation of amino acid histidine by an enzyme histidine decarboxylase. It involves the local immune responses as well as regulating physiological functions. As part of an immune response to foreign pathogen (including malarial parasite infection), histamine is produced by basophils and by mast cells found in nearby connective tissue. Elevation in immune mediators such as IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, NO and histamine have been associated with disease severity in malarial infection. Histamine releasing factor (HRF) is a peptide described in mice and humans, causes the release of histamine from basophils. HRF belongs to a class of protein called translationally controlled tumour protein (TCTP) homologs. Recently a Plasmodium falciparum TCTP is identified. This protein has a high homology to human HRF. The central nervous system signs and symptoms such as drowsiness, coma, multiple seizures, destruction of blood brain barrier etc are supposed to be due to histamine secretion in CNS during Plasmodium falciparum infection. In this chapter we will discuss the pathophysiological effects of histamine in severe malaria infection.

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Abbreviations

TNF-α:

tumor necrosis factor-α

IFN-γ:

interferon-γ

IL:

interleukin

HRF:

histamine releasing factor (HRF)

BBB:

blood brain barrier

TCTP:

translationally controlled tumour protein (TCTP)

HDC:

histidine decarboxylase

NMDA:

N-methyl-D-aspartate

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, 202002, UP, India

    Adil Raza, Haris M. Khan & Fatima Shujatullah

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  1. Adil Raza
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  2. Haris M. Khan
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  3. Fatima Shujatullah
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Correspondence to Adil Raza .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Medicine, Dept. Internal Medicine, Southern Illinois University, N. Rutledge 751, Springfield, 62702, Illinois, USA

    Nancy Khardori

  2. J. N. Medical College, Dept. Pharmacology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, 202002, India

    Rahat Ali Khan

  3. Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College &, Hospital, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, 202002, India

    Trivendra Tripathi

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Raza, A., Khan, H.M., Shujatullah, F. (2010). Histamine Role in Malaria. In: Khardori, N., Khan, R., Tripathi, T. (eds) Biomedical Aspects of Histamine. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9349-3_19

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