Enhancement of IgE-mediated histamine release from human basophils by viruses: role of interferon

Release and Interferon Activity. The capacity of viruses to enhance histamine release after challenge with ragweed antigen E or anti-IgE was tested with leukocytes from different donors. The data in Table II show that HSV-1 enhanced histamine release in six out of seven donors (P < 0.001). Leukocytes from tim seventh donor released high amounts of histamine on challenge with anti-IgE and the presence of virus did not result in further enhancement. The demonstration that both infectious and UV-inactivated virus enhanced histamine release indicated that viral replication was not required, and raised the possibility that enhancement might be immune specific. To study this possibility, the relationship between the level of anti-HSV neutralizing antibody and histamine release was investigated. Preliminary experiments (data not shown) revealed that exposure of leukocytes from anti-HSV-1 negative individuals to UV-inactivated HSV-1 resulted in enhanced histamine release.