Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Histamine and peptic ulcer disease: Histamine methyltransferase activity in gastric mucosa of control subjects and duodenal ulcer patients before and after surgical treatment

  • Selected Papers Given at the ‘5th Annual Meeting of the European Branch of the Histamine Club’, Paris, 6–8 May 1976
  • Published:
Agents and Actions Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Histamine methyltransferase (HMT) activity was determined by a modified isotope assay in biopsy specimens from gastric mucosa of control subjects, duodenal ulcer patients and after various gastric operations.

Enzymic activity of male control subjects who were ‘healthy’ with respect to their upper gastrointestinal tract was 70.4±12.8 pmol/(min×mg protein). In male duodenal ulcer patients HMT-activity was significantly lowered by 15%; following selective vagotomy with pyloroplasty a significant increase of 14% was observed as compared to controls. The difference between values before (59.9±13.3) and after (80.4±11.7) this operation was highly significant (p<0.001). Experiments in a small number of patients showed that after other modifications of vagotomy elevated HMT-activities were also found, whereas after resection procedures such changes of enzymic activity did not occur.

According to these results the low gastric HMT-activity of duodenal ulcer patients could play a role in the pathogenesis of a chronic peptic ulcer by being responsible for reduced histamine inactivation and — as a consequence —enhanced acid secretion. Furthermore, vagotomy seemed to influence acid secretion in human subjects not only by direct effects on the parietal cells, but also by an activation of histamine catabolism. One patient, who despite complete vagotomy showed both no reduction in acid secretion and a low gastric HMT-activity, may be the representative of a new population of peptic ulcer patients.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. H. Troidl, W. Lorenz, H. Rohde, G. Häfner andM. Ronzheimer,Histamine and Peptic Ulcer: A Prospective Study of Mucosal Histamine Concentration in Duodenal Ulcer Patients and in Control Subjects Suffering from Various Gastrointestinal Diseases, Klin. Wschr.54, 947 (1976).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. W. Lorenz, H. Troidl, H. Barth, H. Rohde, S. Schulz, H. Becker, P. Dormann, A. Schmal, J. Kusche andR. Meyer,Stimulus-Secretion Coupling in the Human and Canine Stomach: Role of Histamine, in:Stimulus Secretion Coupling in the Gastrointestinal Tract (Eds. R.M. Case and H. Goebell: MTP Press Ltd., Lancaster, 1975), p. 177.

    Google Scholar 

  3. H. Barth,Histaminmethyltransferase in der Magenschleimhaut des Menschen und verschiedener Säugetiere: Anreicherung, Eigenschaften, Wirkungsmechanismus und Beeinflussbarkeit durch Histamin-Rezeptor-antagonisten. Ein Beitrag zur Diskussion des Histamins als einem physiologischen Chemostimulator der Magensaftsekretion, Thesis, University of Munich (1974).

  4. W. Lorenz, H. Barth andE. Werle,Histamine and Histamine Methyltransferase in the Gastric Mucosa of Man, Pig, Dog and Cow, Naunyn-Schmiedebergs Arch. Pharmak.267, 421 (1970).

    Google Scholar 

  5. H. Dencker, G. Kahlson, I. Kockum, C. Norryd andE. Rosengren,Histamine Metabolism in Human Gastric Mucosa, Clin. Sci. Molec. Med.45, 225 (1973).

    Google Scholar 

  6. H. Barth, W. Lorenz andI. Niemeyer,Inhibition and Activation of Histamine Methyltransferase by Methylated Histamines, Hoppe-Seyler's Z. Physiol. Chem.354, 1021 (1973).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. H. Barth, I. Niemeyer andW. Lorenz,Studies on the Mode of Action of Histamine H 1-and H 2-Receptor Antagonists on Gastric Histamine Methyltransferase. Agents and Actions3, 138 (1973).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. W. Lorenz, H. Hamelmann andH. Troidl,Marburg Experiment on Surgical Research: A Five Years' Experience on the Cooperation Between Clinical and Theoretical Surgeons, Klin. Wschr.54, 927 (1976).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. O.H. Lowry, N.J. Rosebrough, A.L. Farr andR.J. Randall,Protein Measurement with the Folin Phenol Reagent, J. Biol. Chem.193, 265 (1951).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. D.D. Brown, R. Tomchick andJ. Axelrod,The Distribution and Properties of a Histamine-Methylating Enzyme, J. Biol. Chem.234, 2948 (1959).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. H. Barth, H. Troidl, K. Goecke, K. Herrmann, W. Seidel andW. Lorenz,Histamine Methyltransferase (HMT): Distribution, Purification and Inhibition in vitro and in vivo, J. Pharmacol. (Paris)3, 521 (1972).

    Google Scholar 

  12. H. Barth, W. Lorenz andH. Troidl,Effect of Amodiaquine on Gastric Histamine Methyltransferase and on Histamine-Stimulated Gastric Secretion, Br. J. Pharmac.55, 321 (1975).

    Google Scholar 

  13. W. Lorenz, H. Barth, J. Kusche, H. Troidl, H. Rohde, A. Schmal, W. Stenner, H. Nusimé, G. Häfner, R. Glass andA. Friedrich,A Critical View Concerning Metabolism and Physiological Function of Histamine in the Gastric Mucosa, Satellite Symposium on Gastrointestinal Hormones, Krakow 1974 (in press).

  14. H. Barth, K. Naber, I. Niemeyer, K.H. Bichler andW. Lorenz,Histamine Concentration and Histamine Methyltransferase Activity of Rabbit Kidney During Experimental Hydronephrosis, Br. J. Surg.61, 918 (1974).

    Google Scholar 

  15. H. Barth, K. Naber, K.E. Barthel, I. Niemeyer andW. Lorenz,Induction of Histamine Methyltransferase During Experimental Hydronephrosis: A Mechanism of Adaptation for Histamine Homeostasis in Rabbit Kidney, Agents and Actions5, 442 (1975).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. H. Troidl, W. Lorenz, H. Barth, H. Rohde, G. Feifel, A. Schmal, K. Goecke, A. Reimann-Huhnd andW. Seidel,Augmentation of Pentagastrin Stimulated Gastric Secretion in the Heidenhain Pouch Dog by Amodiaquine: Inhibition of Histamine Methyltransferase in vivo? Agents and Actions3, 157 (1973).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. M. Spandau,Wirkung von Amodiachin, Chlorochin, Chlorpromazin und EMD 16-923 auf die carbachol-und pentagastrinstimulierte Magensäuresekretion des Menschen und des Hundes, Thesis, University of Marburg (1976).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Experimental Surgery and Pathological Biochemistry and Surgery Clinic of the University, Robert-Koch-Straße 8, D-3550, Marburg/Lahn, Federal Republic of Germany

    H. Barth, H. Troidl, W. Lorenz, H. Rohde & R. Glass

Authors
  1. H. Barth
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. H. Troidl
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. W. Lorenz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. H. Rohde
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. R. Glass
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Supported by Grant Lo 199/5 of Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Barth, H., Troidl, H., Lorenz, W. et al. Histamine and peptic ulcer disease: Histamine methyltransferase activity in gastric mucosa of control subjects and duodenal ulcer patients before and after surgical treatment. Agents and Actions 7, 75–79 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01964884

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01964884

Keywords

Search

Navigation