THE ACTION OF A CALCITONIN GENE-RELATED PEPTIDE ANTAGONIST IN HUMAN SKIN

The CGRP antagonist, CGRP8 - 37, antagonized the ability of CGRP to in crease blood flow in human skin and cause erythema. The mechanism of t he antagonist effect of CGRP8 - 37 on the CGRP-induced erythema was an increase by the antagonist of the rate of decay of the CGRP-induced e rythema. Since CGRP8 - 37 activates rat peritoneal mast cells to relea se their granular contents, we conclude that the antagonism by CGRP8 - 37 of the effect of CGRP in human skin is caused by an increase in th e rate of degradation of CGRP by protease released from skin mast cell s by CGRP8 - 37. It was not possible to demonstrate any antagonistic e ffect of CGRP8 - 37 on the CGRP receptor mediating increased blood flo w in human skin.