Regulation of Plasma Substance P and Skin Mast Cells by Odorants

Abstract

French

Background:

Mast cells stimulate inflammation and itch sensation in the skin by releasing various mediators when they are activated. Stress exacerbates some skin diseases. We have reported that inhalation of certain odorants modulates immune reactions in the skin.

Objective:

The possible usage of odorants in the regulation of skin inflammation and itch sensation was to be examined.

Methods:

Female volunteers were subjected to interview stress with or without odorant inhalation. Mice were immobilized while inhaling odorants. Toluidene blue-stained sections were analyzed for activated mast cells. Plasma substance P level was determined by enzyme-linked immunoassay.

Results:

Interview stress induced plasma substance P only in volunteers who did not inhale odorants containing 2% 1,3-dimethoxy-5-methyl benzene (DMMB). Immobilization stress induced mast cell activation in mice and the activation was blocked by exposure to DMMB.

Conclusions:

Stress causes mast cell activation via an increase in substance P. The effect of stress is suppressed by inhalation of DMMB.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Hokfelt

Kellerth

Nilsson

, Substance P: Localization in the central nervous system and in some primary sensory neurons. Science 1975; 190:889–890.

Pernow

Substance

Pharmacol Rev 1983; 35:85–141.

Hagermark

Hokfelt

Pernow

Flare and itch induced by substance P in human Skin. J Invest Dermatol 1978; 8:233–235.

Benyon

Lowman

Church

. Human skin mast cells: Their dispersion, purification, and secretory characterization. J Immunol 1987; 138:861–867.

Singh

Xinzhu

Alexacos

, Acute immobilization stress triggers skin mast cell degranulation via corticotropin releasing hormone, neurotensin, and substance P: A link to neurogenic skin disorders. Brain Behav Immun 1999; 13:225–239.

Hosoi

Inoue

Shojik

, Inhibition of stress-induced increase in plasma and salivary Cortisol by odorant inhalation. The Autonomic Nervous System 2002; 39:260–264.

Tsuchiya

Horii

Epidermal cell proliferating activity assessed by proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) decreases following immobilization-induced stress in male Syrian hamsters. Psychoneuroendocrinology 1996; 21:111–117.

Tsuchiya

Horii

Immobilization-induced stress decreases lipogenesis in sebaceous gland as well as plasma testosterone levels in male Syrian hamsters. Psychoneuroendocrinology 1995; 20:221–230.

Denda

Tsuchiya

Hosoi

, Immobilization-induced and crowded environment-induced stress delay barrier recovery in mouse skin. Br J Dermatol 1998; 138:780–785.

10.

Altemus

Rao

Dhabhar

, Stress-induced changes in skin barrier function in healthy women. J Invest Dermatol 2001; 117:309–317.

11.

Denda

Tsuchiya

Shoji

, Odorant inhalation affects skin barrier homeostasis in mice and humans. Br J Dermatol 2000; 142:1007–1010.

12.

Hosoi

Tanida

Tsuchiya

Mitigation of stress-induced suppression of contact hypersensitivity by odorant inhalation. Br J Dermatol 2001; 145:716–719.

13.

Kirschbaum

Pirke

Hellhammer

. The –Trier Social Stress Test— a tool for investigating psychobiological stress responses in a laboratory setting. Neuropsychobiology 1993; 28:76–81.

14.

Scolzen

Armstrong

Bunnett

, Neuropeptides in the skin: Interations between the neuroendocrine and the skin immune system. Exp Dermatol 1998; 7:81–96.

15.

Benyon

Lowman

Church

. Human skin mast cells: Their dispersion, purification, and secretory characterization. J Immunol 1987; 138:861–867.

16.

Joichi

Yomogida

Nakamura

, The scent of roses: Tea scented modern roses and ancient Chinese roses. In: Proceedings of the 20th International Federation of the societies of Cosmetic Chemists, September 1998: Societe Francaise de Cosmetologie, France 83 [abstr].

17.

Okabe

Hide

Koro

, The release of leukotrien B4 from human skin in response to substance P: Evidence for the functional heterogeneity of human skin mast cells among individuals. Clin Exp Immunol 2001; 124:150–156.