Histamine H4 receptors regulate ACTH release in AtT-20 cells

The early research described that adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) release from mouse pituitary tumor AtT-20 cells was regulated by histamine H-3 receptors. Here, we provide the evidence that histamine H-4 receptor was expressed in AtT-20 cell, and that the accelerated ACTH secretions from the cells by histamine and R-alpha-methylhistamine were blocked by JNJ7777120, a specific H-4 receptor antagonist, in concentration dependent manner, but not by the H-1 and H-2 receptor antagonists. The results indicate, for the first time, that histamine H-4 receptor, rather than histamine H-3 receptor, played a role in regulation of ACTH release from mouse pituitary AtT-20 cells. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.