Role of histamine produced by bone marrow-derived vascular cells in pathogenesis of atherosclerosis

To clarify the role of histamine-producing cells and its origin in atherosclerosis, we investigated histidine decarboxylase (HDC; histamine-producing enzyme) expression in murine arteries with vascular injuries after the animal had received transplanted bone marrow (BM) from green fluorescent protein (GFP)-transgenic mice. The neointima in the ligated carotid arteries contained BM-derived HDC+ cells that expressed macrophage (Mac-3) or smooth muscle cell antigen (alpha-SMA). In contrast, the HDC+ BM-derived cells, which were positive for Mac-3, were mainly located in the adventitia in the cuff replacement model. In apolipoprotein E-knockout mice on a high cholesterol diet, BM-derived cells expressing Mac-3 in the atheromatous plaques were also positive for HDC. In comparison with wild-type mice, HDC-/- mice showed reduced neointimal thickening and a decreased intima-to-media ratio after ligation and cuff replacement. These results indicate that histamine produced from BM-derived progenitor cells, which could transdifferentiate into SMC- or macrophage-like cells, are important for the formation of neointima and atheromatous plaques.