Eur J Pharmacol 2008 Sep 04;5911-3:52-8. doi: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2008.06.029.

Electrophysiology-based analysis of human histamine H(4) receptor pharmacology using GIRK channel coupling in Xenopus oocytes.

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The recently cloned histamine H(4) receptor is expressed predominantly in haematopoietic cells and has been found to modulate the function of mast cells, eosinophils, dendritic cells and T lymphocytes. It represents an attractive target for pharmacological interventions against a number of inflammatory and autoimmune disorders. In the present work we used two-electrode voltage-clamp to demonstrate histamine H(4) receptor modulation of G protein-coupled inward rectifier potassium (GIRK) channels heterologously expressed in Xenopus oocytes. In accordance with earlier findings in other effector systems, full agonism by histamine and (R)-alpha-methylhistamine, partial agonism by clobenpropit and inverse agonism by thioperamide were observed. Furthermore, in oocytes injected with low amounts of receptor cRNA, clobenpropit apparently acted as a neutral antagonist. We also used the high temporal resolution afforded by this system to study the differential time courses of response deactivation upon ligand washout for clobenpropit and (R)-alpha-methylhistamine. GIRK channels represent a novel effector system for histamine H(4) receptor modulation, which may be of physiological relevance and prove useful in the development of compounds targeting this receptor.

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Species referenced: Xenopus
Genes referenced: kcnj3