Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor enhances interleukin-1 beta stimulated histamine release in the preovulatory rat ovary

The existence of immune cells including macrophages and mast cells in rat o vary implies that various cytokines from these cells may play a role in ova rian functions. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether gra nulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and interleukin-1 be ta are capable of stimulating histamine release and steroidogenesis in rat ovary, and to determine the sites of histamine production in the ovary. His tamine release from preovulatory ovarian tissues was stimulated in a dose-d ependent manner at 3-30 ng/ml of GM-CSF in the presence of interleukin-1 be ta (10 ng/ml). However, treatment with GM-CSF and interleukin-1 beta did no t cause any significant change in the levels of ovarian steroids. Intense s taining of histidine decarboxylase in the ovary was immunohistochemically d etected in large granular cells on the morning of the pro-oestrus day. Thes e results indicate that GM-CSF may be involved in the regulation of ovarian histamine secretion in mast cells partially by enhancing interleukin-1 bet a-induced histamine release in the process of ovulation. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.