Human peritoneal macrophages synthesize leukotrienes B4 and C4

Macrophages were isolated from the dialysis fluid of patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis and separated by gradient centrifugation and purification on 50% Percoll. The cells were prelabeled with [14C]arachidonic acid for 1.5 h. The labeled cells were then incubated with calcium ionophore A23187 (1 microM), serum-treated zymosan (200 micrograms/ml), and a lipoxygenase inhibitor, nordihydroguairetic acid (1 X 10(-5) M). The arachidonate metabolites in the medium were separated on Sep-Pak columns, and finally purified by reverse-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). The labeled products co-chromatographed with authentic leukotriene B4 and leukotriene C4 standards. Serum-treated zymosan and A23187 significantly stimulated and nordihydroguairetic acid significantly inhibited leukotriene synthesis. Leukotriene D4 was not detected, which suggests that these cells contain low gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase or high dipeptidase activity. These results establish, for the first time, that human peritoneal macrophages synthesize the lipoxygenase products, leukotriene B4 and leukotriene C4.     

Activation of the 5-lipoxygenase pathway in E-mast cells by peanut agglutinin

Mouse E-mast cells were differentiated and grown by culturing bone marrow cells in medium containing WEHI-3-conditioned medium. These cells possess surface receptors to the following agglutinins: peanut (PNA), concanavalin A (Con A), and soybean (Sb). One to 200 micrograms of PNA/10(6) E-mast cells selectively stimulated the generation of leukotriene C4 (LTC4) in the absence of beta-hexosaminidase release. Exposure of 10(6) E-mast cells to 1 to 200 micrograms Con A or Sb had no effect either on preformed mediator release or on the generation of leukotrienes. LTC4 was quantitated by integrated UV absorbance after resolution by reverse phase high pressure liquid chromatography. The optimum release of LTC4 (13.2 ng/10(6) cells) was achieved by 50 micrograms of PNA/10(6) cells. The response is characterized by the inhibition by excess amounts of PNA. The amount of LTC4 generated during optimal PNA stimulation is lower than the amount produced after stimulation by IgE-antigen or by calcium ionophore A23187 (19.8 ng and 148 ng, respectively). The release of LTC4 began within 5 min after PNA stimulation, and reached a plateau within 45 to 60 min at 37 degrees C. This kinetic pattern is similar to that observed after calcium ionophore A23187 stimulation of these cells. The results suggest that PNA is capable of selectively activating the 5-lipoxygenation of arachidonic acid without affecting beta-hexosaminidase secretion. Apparently, separate biochemical events may serve to mobilize each class of mediators.     

Human endothelial cells stimulate leukotriene synthesis and convert granulocyte released leukotriene A4 into leukotrienes B4, C4, D4 and E4

Incubation of human endothelial cells with leukotriene A4 resulted in the formation of leukotrienes B4, C4, D4 and E4. Endothelial cells did not produce leukotrienes after stimulation with the ionophore A23187 and/or exogenously added arachidonic acid. However, incubation of polymorphonuclear leukocytes with ionophore A23187 together with endothelial cells led to an increased synthesis of cysteinyl-containing leukotrienes (364%, mean, n = 11) and leukotriene B4 (52%) as compared to leukocytes alone. Thus, the major part of leukotriene C4 recovered in mixed cultures was attributable to the presence of endothelial cells. Similar incubations of leukocytes with fibroblasts or smooth muscle cells did not cause an increased formation of leukotriene C4 or leukotriene B4. The increased biosynthesis of cysteinyl-containing leukotrienes and leukotriene B4 in coincubation of leukocytes and endothelial cells appeared to be caused by two independent mechanisms. First, cell interactions resulted in an increased production of the total amount of leukotrienes, suggesting a stimulation of the leukocyte 5-lipoxygenase pathway, induced by a factor contributed by endothelial cells. Secondly, when endothelial cells prelabeled with [35S]cysteine were incubated with either polymorphonuclear leukocytes and A23187, or synthetic leukotriene A4, the specific activity of the isolated cysteinyl-containing leukotrienes were similar. Thus, transfer of leukotriene A4 from stimulated leukocytes to endothelial cells appeared to be an important mechanism causing an increased formation of cysteinyl-containing leukotrienes in mixed cultures of leukocytes and endothelial cells. In conclusion, the present study indicates that the vascular endothelium, when interacting with activated leukocytes, modulates both the quantity and profile of liberated leukotrienes.     

Production of arachidonic acid metabolites by endothelial cells in hyperoxia

This study investigated the response of bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells to incubation in hyperoxia (95% O2-5% CO2). Changes in cell number and morphology, release of lactate dehydrogenase, and production of arachidonic acid metabolites were assessed during continuous exposure of confluent endothelial monolayers to air (air-5% CO2, "controls") or O2 (95% O2-5% CO2, "O2-exposed") for periods of 12-72 h. Control monolayer cell numbers remained constant (approximately 2,000,000 cells/flask), whereas the number of cells in O2-exposed monolayers decreased progressively to 30% of controls (P less than 0.01) by 72 h. As assessed by radioimmunoassay, both control and O2-exposed cells produced the prostacyclin metabolite, 6-ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha (6-keto-PGF1 alpha), and prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha), but no thromboxane metabolite (TxB2) was detected. The O2-exposed cells released significantly more 6-keto-PGF1 alpha and PGF2 alpha than control cells when apparent net production rates over the entire 72-h period were compared. In addition, both control and O2-exposed (48 h) endothelial monolayers released immunoreactive leukotriene B4 (LTB4) on stimulation with calcium ionophore (10 microM A23187). As with the cyclooxygenase products, O2-exposed cells released more immunoreactive LTB4 than did controls. Both cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase metabolites of arachidonic acid are released by cultured endothelial cells during the development of O2 toxicity.     

Hydrogen peroxide inhibits alveolar macrophage 5-lipoxygenase metabolism in association with depletion of ATP

We have previously shown that the biologically important reactive oxygen metabolite hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) stimulates arachidonic acid (AA) release and thromboxane A2 synthesis in the rat alveolar macrophage. We have now investigated the effects of H2O2 on alveolar macrophage 5-lipoxygenase metabolism. H2O2 failed to stimulate detectable synthesis of leukotriene B4, leukotriene C4, or 5-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (5-HETE) as determined by reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and sensitive radioimmunoassays (RIAs). This was not explained by oxidative degradation of leukotrienes by H2O2 at the concentrations used. Moreover, RIA and RP-HPLC analyses demonstrated that H2O2 dose-dependently inhibited synthesis of leukotriene B4, leukotriene C4, and 5-HETE induced by the agonists A23187 (10 microM) and zymosan (100 micrograms/ml), over the same concentration range at which it augmented synthesis of the cyclooxygenase products thromboxane A2 and 12-hydroxy-5,8,10-heptadecatrienoic acid. Four lines of evidence suggested that H2O2 inhibited alveolar macrophage leukotriene and 5-HETE synthesis by depleting cellular ATP, a cofactor for 5-lipoxygenase. 1) H2O2 depleted ATP in A23187- and zymosan-stimulated alveolar macrophages with a dose dependence very similar to that for inhibition of agonist-induced leukotriene synthesis. 2) The time courses of ATP depletion and inhibition of leukotriene B4 synthesis by H2O2 were compatible with a rate-limiting effect of ATP on leukotriene synthesis in H2O2-exposed cultures. 3) Treatment of alveolar macrophages with the electron transport inhibitor antimycin A prior to A23187 stimulation depleted ATP and inhibited leukotriene B4 and C4 synthesis to equivalent degrees, while thromboxane A2 production was spared. 4) Incubation with the ATP precursors inosine plus phosphate attenuated both ATP depletion and inhibition of leukotriene B4 and C4 synthesis in alveolar macrophages stimulated with A23187 in the presence of H2O2. Our results show that H2O2 has the capacity to act both as an agonist for macrophage AA metabolism, and as a selective inhibitor of the 5-lipoxygenase pathway, probably as a result of its ability to deplete ATP. Depletion of cellular energy stores by oxidants generated during inflammation in vivo may be a means by which the inflammatory response is self-limited.     

Generation of leukotrienes by human monocytes pretreated with cytochalasin B and stimulated with formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine

The N-formylated tripeptide N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP) initiated the generation of immunoreactive C-6 sulfidopeptide leukotrienes and of leukotriene B4 (LTB4) in a dose-dependent manner from monolayers of human monocytes pretreated for 10 min with 5 micrograms/ml of cytochalasin B. The EC50 for the immunoreactive C-6 sulfidopeptide leukotrienes was 10(-8) M FMLP and for immunoreactive LTB4 was 5 X 10(-8) M FMLP. The maximal response to FMLP occurred within 10 min, and the sum of the two classes of leukotrienes generated was about 1/6 that obtained from monocytes stimulated with calcium ionophore A23187. The requirement for cytochalasin B in order for FMLP, but not the calcium ionophore, to stimulate leukotriene generation is compatible with the ability of cytochalasin B to augment in other cells certain stimulus-specific transmembrane responses that are not dependent on the integrity of the cytoskeleton. Resolution by reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography of the products released from monocytes pretreated with cytochalasin B and stimulated with FMLP or calcium ionophore yielded a single peak of immunoreactive LTB4 eluting at the same retention time as the synthetic standard; immunoreactive C-6 sulfidopeptide leukotrienes eluted at the retention times of leukotriene C4 (LTC4) and leukotriene D4 (LTD4). [3H]LTB4 was not metabolically altered by monocytes pretreated with cytochalasin B and activated with FMLP in comparison with cells treated with buffer alone, whereas [3H]LTC4 was partially converted to [3H]LTD4. The leukotriene-generating response of monolayers of human monocytes pretreated with cytochalasin B to FMLP is receptor-mediated, as indicated by the inactivity of the structural analog N-acetyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine and by the capacity of the FMLP receptor antagonist carbobenzoxyphenylalanyl-methionine to inhibit the agonist action of FMLP in a dose-response fashion.     

Leukotriene A4, conversion to leukotriene B4 in human T-cell lines

Human T-cell lines (HSB, MOLT-4 and CCRF-CEM) produced leukotriene B4 when incubated with leukotriene A4. The product was characterized by chromatographic properties, UV-spectroscopy and gas chromatography mass spectrometry. About 10 pmol of leukotriene B4 was obtained per 10(6) cells. When incubated with arachidonic acid plus the calcium ionophore A23187 however, no leukotriene B4 was found, indicating that the T-cell lines lack 5-lipoxygenase yet contain LTA4 hydrolase.     

Differential effects of docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid on suppression of lipoxygenase pathway in peritoneal macrophages

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) or eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) was facilely incorporated into phospholipids of mouse peritoneal macrophages following incubation with pure fatty acids complexed to bovine serum albumin. Following stimulation with calcium ionophore A23187, the DHA-enriched cells synthesized significantly smaller amounts of leukotriene C4 and leukotriene B4 compared to control or EPA-enriched cells. The EPA-enriched cells synthesized lower amounts of leukotriene C4 and leukotriene B4 compared to control cells. The stimulated macrophages utilized endogenously released arachidonic acid for leukotriene B4 and leukotriene C4 synthesis. Exogenous arachidonic acid increased the formation of 12-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (12-HETE) and 15-HETE and macrophages enriched with DHA or EPA produced similar amounts of 12-HETE and 15-HETE compared to control cells. These studies demonstrated that the synthesis of leukotriene C4, leukotriene B4 and HETE in macrophages is differentially affected by DHA and EPA.     

Release of prostaglandins and thromboxanes by guinea pig isolated type II pneumocytes

Lung cells have been isolated by enzymatic digestion of guinea pig lungs and mechanical dispersion to obtain a suspension of viable cells (approximately 500 X 10(6) cells). Type II pneumocytes have been purified to approximately 92% by centrifugal elutriation (2000 rpm, 15 ml/min) followed by a plating in plastic dishes coated with guinea pig IgG (500 micrograms/ml). We have investigated the arachidonic acid metabolism through the cyclooxygenase pathway in this freshly isolated type II cells (2 x 10(6) cells/ml). Purified type II pneumocytes produced thromboxane B2 (TxB2) predominantly and to a smaller extent the 6-keto prostaglandin PGF1 alpha (6-keto-PGF1 alpha) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) after incubation with 10 microM arachidonic acid. The stimulation of pneumocytes with 2 microM calcium ionophore A23187 released less eicosanoids than were produced when cells were incubated with 10 microM arachidonic acid. There was no additive effect when the cells were treated with both arachidonic acid and the ionophore A23187. Guinea pig type II pneumocytes failed to release significant amounts of TxB2, 6-keto-PGF1 alpha and PGE2 after stimulation with 10 nM leukotriene B4, 10 nM leukotriene D4, 10 nM platelet-activating factor, 5 microM formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine, 0.2 microM bradykinin and 10 nM phorbol myristate acetate. Our findings indicate that guinea pig type II pneunomocytes possess the enzymatic machinery necessary to convert arachidonic acid to specific cyclooxygenase products, which may suggest a role for these cells in lung inflammatory processes.     

Formation of leukotrienes E3, E4 and E5 in rat basophilic leukemia cells

Rat basophilic leukemia (RBL-1) cells incubated with ionophore A23187 and 5,8,11-eicosatrienoic acid produced three slow-reacting substances identified as leukotrienes C3, D3 and E3 by spectroscopic, chromatographic and enzymatic methods. 5,8,11,14,17-Eicosapentaenoic acid was similarly converted by RBL-1 cells to leukotrienes C5, D5. and E5. Leukotrienes C4, D4 and E4 were also formed in these experiments from endogenous arachidonic acid. Time-course studies, incubations with 3H-labeled leukotriene C3 and effects of acivicin [L-(alpha S, 5S)-alpha-amino-3-chloro-4,5-dihydro-5-isoxazoleacetic acid; a gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase inhibitor] indicated that leukotrienes C and D are intermediates in the formation of leukotrienes E. L-Cysteine enhanced the conversion of leukotriene C3 to leukotriene D3 and inhibited further degradation of leukotriene D3 to leukotriene E3.     

Leukotriene C5: a slow reacting substance derived from eicosapentaenoic acid

Mouse mastocytoma cells incubated with ionophore A23187 and eicosapentaenoic acid (n-3) produced a slow reacting substance with different properties compared with leukotriene C4 (previously designated leukotriene C). This product was characterized by spectroscopy and enzymatic and chemical degradations to be 5-hydroxy-6-S-glutathionyl-7,9,11,14,17-eicosapentaenoic acid (leukotriene C5). Leukotriene C5 has similar biological activity on the isolated guinea pig ileum but is less potent than is leukotriene C4.     

Formation and metabolism of leukotriene C4 in macrophages exposed to bacterial lipopolysaccharide

Lipopolysaccharide (10 micrograms/ml) was found to stimulate resident mouse peritoneal macrophages to produce leukotriene C4 (36 +/- 1.3 ng/10(6) cells, SEM, n = 20) within 16 h. Spontaneous synthesis in control cultures without lipopolysaccharide was less than 1.6 ng/10(6) cells. Leukotriene C4 was characterized by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, ultraviolet spectrometry and radioimmunoassay. When the macrophages, prelabeled with [3H]arachidonic acid, were treated with lipopolysaccharide radioactivity was incorporated into leukotriene C4. The amount produced varied with the method of macrophage preparation and incubation conditions and was dependent on the amount of lipopolysaccharide added (0.5-60 micrograms/ml), on cell counts and on the incubation time (4-16 h). The released leukotriene C4 was converted to a compound identified as a C6-cysteinylleukotriene, indicating metabolism of the leukotriene by the macrophages. Parallel determinations of prostaglandins E2 and F2 alpha by radioimmunoassay demonstrated that leukotriene C4 and prostaglandin E2 are formed by mouse peritoneal macrophages to a similar degree.     

Arachidonate lipoxygenase inhibitors in guinea-pig isolated trachea. Effects on contractions to antigen and various agonists

We compared the effects of the leukotriene (LT) D4 receptor antagonist FPL55712 and some lipoxygenase inhibitors on contractions of isolated guinea-pig trachea induced by antigen (ovalbumin, OA) and calcium ionophore A23187 in the presence of the cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin (5 microM), and by arachidonic acid (AA), melittin and LTD4. FPL55712 (0.1 and 1 microM) inhibited contractions induced by AA (100 microM) and the phospholipase A2 activator melittin (3 micrograms/ml), while the lipoxygenase inhibitor nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA, 10 microM) was a more effective inhibitor of the melittin response than the AA response. FPL55712 inhibited contractions induced by OA (100 micrograms/ml) more than by A23187 (1 microgram/ml), and these inhibitory effects of FPL55712 were much less in the presence of l-serine-borate complex (45 mM), an inhibitor of LTC4 conversion to LTD4. NDGA (10 microM) had no significant effect on the OA response, whereas the lipoxygenase inhibitors 1-phenyl-3-pyrazolidone (phenidone, 10 microM) and 5,8,11,14-eicosatetraynoic acid (ETYA, 10 microM) clearly inhibited it. In contrast, NDGA and phenidone inhibited the A23187 response, but ETYA had no effect on it. FPL55712, phenidone and ETYA, but not NDGA, had a large inhibitory effect on LTD4-induced contractions, but these inhibitors had no effect on histamine-induced contractions. These results suggest that in the guinea-pig trachea inhibitors of LTD4-induced contractions decrease antigen-induced contractions, whereas lipoxygenase inhibitors reduce the contraction to A23187.     

Platelet-activating factor induces leukotriene C4 synthesis by purified human eosinophils

Platelet-activating factor, at a concentration of 10 microM, was capable of inducing leukotriene C4 synthesis by eosinophils of healthy donors, i.e. (3.1 +/- 0.3) x 10(6) molecules leukotriene C4/cell (n = 31, mean +/- SEM, cell purity 87 +/- 2%). Reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography analysis demonstrated the exclusive synthesis of leukotriene C4. At a concentration of 1 microM, platelet-activating factor was capable of significantly enhancing the calcium ionophore A23187, the opsonized zymosan or the arachidonic acid induced leukotriene C4 synthesis by eosinophils. These results show that PAF is capable of inducing and enhancing the leukotriene C4 formation by human eosinophils.     

Effect of leukotrienes, bradykinin and calcium ionophore (A 23187) on bovine endothelial cells: release of prostacyclin

Incubation of the bovine endothelial cell line, CPAE, with the calcium ionophore (A23187), bradykinin (BK), leukotriene D4 (LTD4) or leukotriene C4 (LTC4) resulted in concentration dependent increases in prostacyclin release measured as 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha. The kinetics of induction of prostacyclin synthesis differed among the agents studied. Statistically significant increases in prostacyclin were observed one minute after treatment, with A23187, at slightly longer times with bradykinin and after approximately three minutes with the leukotrienes. Two other leukotrienes were tested. Both leukotriene B4 and leukotriene E4 (LTE4) were inactive at concentrations up to 10 microM. The induction of prostacyclin synthesis by LTC4 and LTD4 was inhibited by cycloheximide and actinomycin-D. The effect of BK was inhibited by cycloheximide but not by actinomycin-D. Induction by A23187 was not inhibited by either actinomycin-D or cycloheximide. The results suggest that these agents induced the increases in prostacyclin synthesis by different mechanisms.     

Single-step organic extraction of leukotrienes and related compounds and their simultaneous analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography

A method for the simultaneous single-step organic extraction from biological matrices of peptido- and dihydroxyleukotrienes as well as 5-hydroperoxy- and 5-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid followed by separation and quantitation in a single run on reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography was evaluated. Using an extraction system comprising 400/1200/4800 (v/v/v) aqueous phase/isopropanol/dichloromethane, pH 3.0, absolute recoveries of 82.3 +/- 2.0, 89.7 +/- 1.0, 93.7 +/- 1.4, 92.8 +/- 1.4, 90 +/- 4, and 90 +/- 4% for prostaglandin B1 (PGB1), leukotriene C4 (LTC4), leukotriene B4 (LTB4), leukotriene D4 (LTD4), 5-hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acid (5-HETE), respectively, were achieved. Separation and quantitation of products were performed on a Nucleosil 100 C18 column (5 microns, 4.6 X 250 mm) using, at pH 6.0, a gradient system comprising 72/28/0.02 (v/v/v) methanol/water/glacial acetic acid from 0 to 15 min, followed by a convex gradient to 76/24/0.02 (v/v/v) methanol/water/glacial acetic acid, followed by a 10-min hold at this methanol concentration. The method was used to investigate the profile of leukotrienes synthesized by rat hepatocyte homogenates from 5-HPETE or leukotriene A4 in absence or presence of glutathione (GSH). During a 5-min incubation with 100 microM 5-HPETE, 9.6 ng LTB4/mg protein and 2.2 micrograms 5-HETE/mg protein were formed in the absence of GSH. In the presence of 0.4 mM GSH, 3.7 ng LTB4/mg protein and 11.0 micrograms 5-HETE/mg protein were formed. Using 20 microM LTA4 as a substrate, 17.3 and 324.0 ng LTC4/mg protein X min and 14.3 and 19.3 ng LTB4/mg protein X min were formed in the presence of 0.4 and 10 mM GSH, respectively.     

Synthesis and release of leukotriene C4 by human eosinophils

When human peripheral blood eosinophils isolated to 92.5% +/- 6.9 purity were stimulated with either the calcium ionophore A23187 or N-formyl-L-methionyl-L-leucyl-L-phenylalanine (FMLP), immunoreactive leukotriene C4 (LTC4) was initially localized intracellularly and was subsequently released to the external medium in kinetically distinguishable steps. Eosinophils were stimulated with 2.5 microM A23187 in the presence of 20 mM L-serine, a hypochlorous acid scavenger that prevents the oxidative metabolism of sulfidopeptide leukotrienes. Total production of immunoreactive LTC4, the sum of intra- and extracellular LTC4, was complete within 5 to 10 min. At 5, 10, and 30 min, 65.9% +/- 15.2, 42.3% +/- 24.3, and 5.5% +/- 3.9, respectively, of the total amount of LTC4 measured remained intracellular as detected after the media and cells were separated and the latter was extracted with methanol. The time course for the intracellular synthesis and extracellular release of immunoreactive LTC4 from eosinophils pretreated with 5 micrograms/ml cytochalasin B and stimulated with 0.5 microM FMLP was like that obtained with ionophore, although the total LTC4 production was only approximately 10%. The identity of the intracellular LTC4 was confirmed by elution with reverse-phase high pressure liquid chromatography followed by scanning UV spectroscopy, radioimmunoassay, and bioassay. Eosinophils that were stimulated with A23187 in the absence of L-serine metabolized newly synthesized LTC4 to 6-trans-LTB4 diastereoisomers and subclass-specific diastereoisomeric sulfoxides that were identified only in the extracellular medium. Thus the response of purified eosinophils to two different stimuli demonstrates a transient intracellular accumulation of biologically active LTC4, the distinct extracellular release, and the apparent limitation of oxidative metabolism to the extracellular location.     

Exclusive leukotriene C4 synthesis by purified human eosinophils induced by opsonized zymosan

Purified human eosinophils were challenged with N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine, leukotriene B4, platelet-activating-factor, valyl-glycyl-seryl-glutamic acid, phorbol myristate acetate, zymosan, opsonized zymosan and the calcium ionophore A23187 to induce leukotriene synthesis. Reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography analysis demonstrated the almost exclusive synthesis of leukotriene C4 by eosinophils of 11 healthy donors after challenge with opsonized zymosan [(22 +/- 4) X 10(6) molecules LTC4/cell, mean +/- SE] or the calcium ionophore A23187 [(54 +/- 7) X 10(6) molecules LTC4/cell, mean +/- SE]. The other agents were not capable of inducing leukotriene formation. When in addition to opsonized zymosan N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine or platelet-activating factor were added a significant increase of the leukotriene C4 synthesis by eosinophils was observed. These results suggest that eosinophils might be triggered to produce considerable amounts of the spasmogenic leukotriene C4 in vivo by C3b- and/or IgG-mediated mechanisms e.g. phagocytosis.     

Human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and other cytokines prime human neutrophils for enhanced arachidonic acid release and leukotriene B4 synthesis

Human recombinant granulocyte-macrophage CSF (GM-CSF) "primes" neutrophils for enhanced biologic responses to a number of secondary stimuli. Here, we examined the properties of neutrophil priming by GM-CSF and other growth factors such as human rTNF and granulocyte CSF. Although GM-CSF has a negligible direct effect on [3H]arachidonic acid release, it enhances or "primes" neutrophils for three- to fivefold increased release of [3H]arachidonic acid, induced by 1.0 microM A23187 and the chemotactants FMLP, platelet-activating factor, and leukotriene B4 (LTB4) (all 0.1 microM). The priming effects of GM-CSF were concentration- and time-dependent (maximum 100 pM, 1 h at 23 degrees C), and consistent with the determined dissociation constant of the human GM-CSF receptor. Indomethacin (10(-8) M), cycloheximide (100 micrograms/ml), and pertussis toxin (200 ng/ml, 2 h at 37 degrees C) had no effect on GM-CSF-, A23187, or platelet-activating factor-induced [3H]arachidonic acid release. The lipoxygenase inhibitor, nordihydroguaiaretic acid, however, totally abolished A23187-induced [3H]arachidonic acid release from both diluent- and GM-CSF-treated neutrophils. Consistent with this observation, we found that GM-CSF-pretreated neutrophils synthesize increased levels of LTB4 after stimulation with A23187 and chemotactic factors. GM-CSF enhances neutrophil arachidonic acid release and LTB4 synthesis, and thereby may amplify the inflammatory response to chemotactic factors and other physiologically relevant stimuli.     

Influence of hypoxia on histamine and leukotriene release from dispersed porcine lung cells

The ability of hypoxia (PO2 57 Torr) and anoxia (PO2 0 Torr) to induce the release of histamine or sulfidopeptide leukotrienes from dispersed porcine parenchymal lung cells was examined. Spontaneous release of histamine (9.2 +/- 1.3%) was not significantly increased during hypoxia or anoxia, and spontaneous leukotriene release was not detected under any conditions. The release of leukotriene induced by A23187 (78 +/- 11 pmol leukotriene D4 equivalent/10(7) parenchymal lung cells) was unchanged during hypoxia and was significantly reduced (55.4 +/- 7.7% control leukotriene release) during anoxia, whereas A23187-induced histamine release (63.2 +/- 4.2% total cell histamine) was unaffected by reduced oxygenation. Reduction of final buffer pH from 7.4 to 7.0 did not affect mediator release. High-pressure liquid chromatographic analysis of the released leukotrienes revealed a mixture of leukotrienes C4 and D4, with a symmetrical reduction in product during anoxia. Although leukotriene release in response to hypoxia was not demonstrated, the findings do not preclude limited local release of leukotrienes, perhaps in association with increased smooth muscle responsiveness.