Edited by Holger Stark Chapter 6 Histamine in Atopic Disorders: Atopic Dermatitis and Pruritus W. Bäumer1,2, F. Glatzer3, K. Roßbach1, H. Ohtsu4, M. Seike5, S. Mommert3, T. Werfel3, R. Gutzmer3 1Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 30559 Hannover, Germany 2 Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, USA, e mail:
[email protected] 3Division of Immunodermatology and Allergy Research, Hannover Medical School, Germany 4Applied Quantum Medical Engineering, Department of Engineering, Tohoku University, Japan 5Department of Food and Nutrition Science, Sagami Women’s Junior College, Japan 6.1. Role of Histamine and Histamine H4 Receptor in Inflammatory Skin Diseases in Man 6.1.1. Introduction The skin is the primary interface between the environment and the inside of an organism and protects the body against harmful agents, pathogens, allergens, physical trauma, UV radiation and excessive electrolyte and water loss. Different diseases interfere with this function, including the extremely common chronic inflammatory skin diseases. Chronic inflammatory skin diseases are characterized by chronic inflammation of the skin, often with severe pruritus. The most diseases include psoriasis and eczema, including atopic dermatitis (AD) and allergic contact dermatitis (ACD). Numerous different inflammatory cell populations are involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory skin diseases, including T cells, antigen presenting cells (APC), granulocytes and keratinocytes. The inflamed skin in these diseases becomes dry, red, itchy and scaly, resulting Chapter 6 1 7 3 Histamine H4 Receptor: A Novel Drug Target in Immunoregulation and Inflammation in decreased quality of life. At present, the responsible mechanisms that are involved in inflammation and pruritus in these disorders and how they lead to pathogenesis are not completely understood.