Inhibition of production of LTB4 and chemotactic agent from rat alveolar macrophages treated with t-butyl hydroperoxide is independent of ATP depletion

Metabolism of [3H]arachidonic acid by n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid-enriched piglet alveolar macrophages

The metabolism of [3H]arachidonic acid (3H-AA) by control and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 PUFA)-enriched piglet alveolar macrophages (AM) was studied after a 4 and 24 h labeling period. 3H-AA metabolites were separated by gradient HPLC. Incorporation of exogenous 3H-AA for either 4 or 24 h was similar for n-3 PUFA-enriched AM compared with control AM. Calcium ionophore (A23187, 10 microM) stimulated a greater release of 3H-AA from n-3 PUFA-enriched AM compared with control AM. Furthermore, AM labeled for 24 h had a lower spontaneous release and higher stimulated release than those labeled for only 4 h. The major 3H-AA metabolites detected in AM supernatants were PGF2 alpha, LTB4, and 5-HETE. Significant amounts of 3H-PGE2 were observed in the supernatants of those cells labeled for 24 h, but not 4 h. The absence of 3H-TXB2 was notable, since enzyme immunoassay detected significant quantities of this AA metabolite in all of the stimulated cell supernatants. From these data we conclude that n-3 PUFA enrichment of piglet AM alters the metabolism of recently incorporated 3H-AA and that the metabolism of labeled AA may not parallel endogenous AA.

Modulation of the alveolar macrophage respiratory burst by hydroperoxides

Exposure of alveolar macrophages to hydroperoxides (ROOH) inhibits subsequent stimulation of O2.- production (the respiratory burst). Previous studies (under nonoxidant stress conditions) have shown that elevation of intracellular free calcium ([Ca2+]i) participates in both initiation and termination of O2.- production. In this investigation, the effects of sublethal ROOH exposure on [Ca2+]i and the respiratory burst of rat alveolar macrophages were compared. Exposure to a sublethal range of H2O2 or tert-butylhydroperoxide (10-100 pmol/10(6) cells; initially 10-100 microM under the experimental conditions) for 15 min resulted in dose-dependent effects on the respiratory burst stimulated by various agents, ADP, ATP, zymosan-activated serum, and phorbol myristate acetate. Low concentrations of the ROOH (10 or 25 pmol/10(6) cells) were found to enhance stimulation, whereas exposure to 75 or 100 pmol/10(6) cells resulted in significant inhibition for all of the stimuli. All concentrations of ROOH caused a rapid elevation in [Ca2+]i. For those concentrations of ROOH that produced enhancement of subsequent stimulation of the respiratory burst, [Ca2+]i returned to near baseline before the end of the 15-min preincubation. The temporal- and concentration-dependent effects of ROOH on [Ca2+]i correlate with subsequent enhancement or inhibition of stimulated O2.- production. Similarities between the ROOH-induced changes in [Ca2+]i and the effect of [Ca2+]i changes in physiological regulation of the respiratory burst suggest a potential relationship.

Depression of stimulated arachidonate metabolism and superoxide production in rat alveolar macrophages following in vivo exposure to 0.5 ppm NO2

Alveolar macrophages (AM) have been found to suffer significant functional deficits in response to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) exposure. The present investigation examined changes in the activation of AM arachidonate metabolism and superoxide production in response to an environmentally relevant level of NO2. Rats were exposed to 0.5 ppm NO2 for periods of 0.5-10 d and AM were obtained by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). NO2 exposure produced complex effects upon both unstimulated and stimulated AM arachidonate metabolism. Unstimulated AM synthesis of leukotriene B4 (LTB4) was depressed rapidly within 1 d of exposure, and depressed again at 5 d. Alveolar macrophage production of thromboxane B2 (TxB2), LTB4, and 5-hydroxyeicosatetraenoate (5-HETE) in response to stimulation with the calcium ionophore, A23187, were acutely depressed within 1 d of exposure; however, generation of these compounds recovered to air-control levels with longer exposure, while 5-HETE was increased at 10 d. In contrast, AM production of LTB4 in response to another stimulus, zymosan-activated rat serum (ZAS), was not depressed until following 5 d of exposure and remained slightly lower than air-control levels at 10 d. Levels of TxB2, LTB4, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha) measured in BAL fluid (BALF) were found to be depressed within 4 h of exposure, suggesting an acute decrease in the in vivo pulmonary arachidonate metabolism; however, production of these compounds generally recovered to air-control levels with longer exposure. The AM superoxide production stimulated by phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) was decreased rapidly and continuously throughout the study. Thus, exposure to a low concentration of NO2 acutely depresses activation of AM arachidonate metabolism and superoxide production in response to external stimuli, and may impede defense against pulmonary infection.

Dual effect of nitrogen dioxide on rat alveolar macrophage arachidonate metabolism

Significant deficits in alveolar macrophage (AM) function have been associated with acute exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2). The present investigation examined changes in enzymatic production of arachidonate metabolites from rat AM exposed to NO2. While in vitro exposure of AM to NO2 concentrations between 0.1 and 5 ppm alone had small effects on basal synthesis of cyclooxygenase or lipoxygenase products, exposure to either 1 ppm (2 or 4 h) or 5 ppm (1 h) markedly enhanced the response of AM to stimulation by the calcium ionophore, A23187. This pre-exposure led to significant increases in cyclooxygenase products (thromboxane B2 (thromboxane), the stable metabolite of thromboxane A2, and 12-hydroxyheptadecatrienoic acid (12-HHT)) and lipoxygenase products (leukotriene B (LTB4) and monohydroxyeicosatetraenoate isomers) in response to A23187. In contrast, a 1-h exposure to 20 ppm NO2 alone significantly increased AM synthesis of thromboxane and 12-HHT, but suppressed the effect of subsequently added A23187. Increased synthesis of cyclooxygenase products with 20 ppm NO2 alone were blocked with the phospholipase inhibitor mepacrine and the cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin. The lipoxygenase inhibitor nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) significantly reduced release of arachidonate; however, levels of thromboxane and 12-HHT were significantly increased. The results suggest a dual effect of NO2 on AM arachidonate metabolism in which low concentrations of NO2 had small effects on basal metabolism but markedly amplified the response to stimuli, while a high concentration of NO2 did the reverse. Such a complex dose-response effect may have significant impact in explaining the pathologic effects of NO2.

Sublethal oxidant stress induces a reversible increase in intracellular calcium dependent on NAD(P)H oxidation in rat alveolar macrophages

A concentration-dependent elevation of intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i) and oxidation of NAD(P)H occurred in alveolar macrophages during exposure to sublethal tert-butylhydroperoxide concentrations (tBOOH) (< or = 100 microM in 1 ml with 1 x 10(6) cells). Oxidation of NAD(P)H preceded a rise in [Ca2+]i. The elevation of [Ca2+]i was reversible at < 50 microM tBOOH exposure and the return to the steady state [Ca2+]i correlated temporally with repletion of NAD(P)H. At > 50 microM tBOOH, the changes in NAD(P)H and [Ca2+]i were sustained. The relative contributions of NADPH and NADH oxidation were examined by varying the substrates supplying reducing equivalents and by inhibiting glutathione reductase activity. The results suggested that at < 50 microM tBOOH, oxidation of NADPH predominated, while at > 50 microM tBOOH, NADH oxidation predominated. A complex relationship between the relative roles of NADPH and NADH oxidation and the elevation of [Ca2+]i was revealed: (i) reversible oxidation of NADPH is associated with the initial and reversible elevation of [Ca2+]i at < 50 microM tBOOH; (ii) the sustained elevation of [Ca2+]i at > 50 microM tBOOH correlates with the sustained oxidation of NADH; and (iii) the changes in [Ca2+]i did not depend on influx of extracellular Ca2+. We speculate that at low tBOOH, Ca2+ was released from the NADPH/NADP(+)-sensitive mitochondrial Ca2+ pool while higher tBOOH caused additional Ca2+ release from GSH/GSSG-sensitive nonmitochondrial Ca2+ pools with sustained elevation of [Ca2+]i due to decreased mitochondrial Ca2+ reuptake.