Background: Mast cells play an important role in allergic inflammation by releasing vasoactive molecules, pro- teases and cytokines. Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and its structural analogue urocortin (Ucn) were shown to trigger skin mast cell activation and vascular permeability. We investigated the effect of acute stress on rat skin vascular permeability and CRH secretion, as well as the effect of intradermal CRH, and that of two his- tamine-1 receptor antagonists, azelastine and olopata- dine, on vascular permeability.
