Responses of isolated pulmonary arteries to synthetic peptide F-Met-Leu-Phe

The Contractile Response of Isolated Small Pulmonary Arteries Induced by Activated Macrophages

To test whether macrophages can play any role in hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction, we tested the in vitro response of rings from small pulmonary arteries to the activation of macrophages by FMLP, a substance stimulating predominantly membrane-bound NADPH oxidase. A small vessel myograph was used to measure the responses of rings from small pulmonary arteries (300-400 μm) isolated from rat lungs. Rings from 5 rats were placed into both chambers of the myograph. The vessels were stabilized for 40 min and then normalized by automatic stretching to a wall tension equivalent to the intravascular pressure 30 mm Hg. At the start of each experiment, vessels were exposed to 80 mM K+ to obtain maximal contractile response, which was used to normalize subsequent contractile responses. 2x106 viable macrophages, obtained by peritoneal lavage, were added into one chamber, then 5 μM FMLP was administrated to both chambers and the tension measurement was started. The hydrogen peroxide concentration produced by stimulated macrophages was measured luminometrically. The concentrations of H2O2 in specimens from chambers containing activated macrophages rose from 3.5±1.5 nM to 110±28 nM within 25 min of stimulation, while FMLP itself didn’t increase the H2O2 concentration from the baseline value (4.5±3 nM) in samples from control chambers. After FMLP administration, the tension of the vessel rings in the presence of macrophages reached 0.23±0.07 of maximal contractile response, it did not change in controls. The addition of ROS scavenger 4-hydroxy-TEMPO blocked the contractile response to the activation of macrophages. We conclude that the activation of macrophages stimulates the contraction of small pulmonary arteries and that this contraction is probably mediated by reactive oxygen species.

The leukocyte chemotactic receptor FPR1 is functionally expressed on human lens epithelial cells

BACKGROUND

Lens degeneration in Fpr1(-/-) mice prompted us to search for functional FPR1 expression directly on lens epithelial cells.

RESULTS

FPR1 is functionally expressed on human lens epithelial cells but has atypical properties compared with hematopoietic cell FPR1.

CONCLUSION

Lens epithelial cell FPR1 may be involved in development and maintenance of the lens.

SIGNIFICANCE

This is the first link between non-hematopoietic expression of FPR1 and an ophthalmologic phenotype. Formyl peptide receptor 1 (FPR1) is a G protein-coupled chemoattractant receptor expressed mainly on leukocytes. Surprisingly, aging Fpr1(-/-) mice develop spontaneous lens degeneration without inflammation or infection (J.-L. Gao et al., manuscript in preparation). Therefore, we hypothesized that FPR1 is functionally expressed directly on lens epithelial cells, the only cell type in the lens. Consistent with this, the human fetal lens epithelial cell line FHL 124 expressed FPR1 mRNA and was strongly FPR1 protein-positive by Western blot and FACS. Competition binding using FPR1 ligands N-formyl-Nle-Leu-Phe-Nle-Tyr-Lys (Nle = Norleucine), formylmethionylleucylphenylalanine, and peptide W revealed the same profile for FHL 124 cells, neutrophils, and FPR1-transfected HEK 293 cells. Saturation binding with fluorescein-labeled N-formyl-Nle-Leu-Phe-Nle-Tyr-Lys revealed ~2500 specific binding sites on FHL-124 cells (K(D) ~ 0.5 nm) versus ~40,000 sites on neutrophils (K(D) = 3.2 nm). Moreover, formylmethionylleucylphenylalanine induced pertussis toxin-sensitive Ca(2+) flux in FHL 124 cells, consistent with classic G(i)-mediated FPR1 signaling. FHL 124 cell FPR1 was atypical in that it resisted agonist-induced internalization. Expression of FPR1 was additionally supported by detection of the intact full-length open reading frame in sequenced cDNA from FHL 124 cells. Thus, FHL-124 cells express functional FPR1, which is consistent with a direct functional role for FPR1 in the lens, as suggested by the phenotype of Fpr1 knock-out mice.

The mechanism underlying the contractile effect of a chemotactic peptide, formyl-Met-Leu-Phe on the guinea-pig Taenia coli

1 The contractile mechanism of N-formyl-L-methionyl-L-leucyl-L-phenylalanine (fMLP) was investigated in the guinea-pig Taenia coli, by simultaneously monitoring the changes in the cytosolic Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) and force. 2 fMLP induced a significant elevation of [Ca(2+)](i) and force at concentrations higher than 10 nM. The maximal response was obtained at a concentration of higher than 1 microM. 3 fMLP (10 microM) augmented the force development induced by a stepwise increment of the extracellular Ca(2+) concentration during 60 mM K(+) depolarization, while it had no effect on the [Ca(2+)](i) elevation, and thus produced a greater force for a given elevation of [Ca(2+)](i) than 60 mM K(+) depolarization. 4 The removal of extracellular Ca(2+) completely abolished the fMLP-induced contraction. The fMLP-induced [Ca(2+)](i) elevation was inhibited substantially but not completely by 10 microM diltiazem, partly by 10 microM SK&F 96365, and completely by their combination. 5 Y27632, a specific inhibitor of rho-kinase, had no significant effect on the fMLP-induced [Ca(2+)](i) elevation and force development. 6 Chenodeoxycholic acid, a formyl peptide receptor antagonist, specifically abolished the fMLP-induced contraction but not high K(+)- or carbachol-induced contractions. 7 A dual lipoxygenase/cyclooxygenase inhibitor, a 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor, a nonselective leukotriene receptor antagonist, and a selective type 1 cysteinyl-containing leukotriene receptor antagonist specifically reduced the fMLP-induced contraction. 8 We suggest that the low-affinity-type fMLP receptor and lipoxygenase metabolites of arachidonic acid are involved in the fMLP-induced contraction in the guinea-pig T. coli. This contraction mainly depends on the [Ca(2+)](i) elevation due to Ca(2+) influx and the enhancement of Ca(2+) sensitivity in the contractile apparatus.

Neutrophils emigrate from venules by a transendothelial cell pathway in response to FMLP

Circulating leukocytes are thought to extravasate from venules through open interendothelial junctions. To test this paradigm, we injected N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP) intradermally in guinea pigs, harvesting tissue at 5-60 min. At FMLP-injected sites, venular endothelium developed increased surface wrinkling and variation in thickness. Marginating neutrophils formed contacts with endothelial cells and with other neutrophils, sometimes forming chains of linked leukocytes. Adherent neutrophils projected cytoplasmic processes into the underlying endothelium, especially at points of endothelial thinning. To determine the pathway by which neutrophils transmigrated endothelium, we prepared 27 sets of serial electron microscopic sections. Eleven of these encompassed in their entirety openings through which individual neutrophils traversed venular endothelium; in 10 of the 11 sets, neutrophils followed an entirely transendothelial cell course unrelated to interendothelial junctions, findings that were confirmed by computer-assisted three-dimensional reconstructions. Having crossed endothelium, neutrophils often paused before crossing the basal lamina and underlying pericytes that they also commonly traversed by a transcellular pathway. Thus, in response to FMLP, neutrophils emigrated from cutaneous venules by a transcellular route through both endothelial cells and pericytes. It remains to be determined whether these results can be extended to other inflammatory cells or stimuli or to other vascular beds.

Peptide N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP) activates capsaicin-sensitive primary afferent nerves in guinea-pig atria and urinary bladder

1. We have investigated the ability of the N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP) a synthetic analogue of a chemotactic peptide derived from a variety of bacteria, to activate capsaicin-sensitive primary afferents in the guinea-pig atria and urinary bladder. 2. In the isolated, electrically-driven left atria from reserpine-pretreated guinea-pigs (atropine in the bath), FMLP (3 nM-1 microM) produced a biphasic positive inotropic response. The late component of this response was selectively abolished by in vitro capsaicin pretreatment while both the early and late responses were abolished by indomethacin. 3. The inotropic response to FMLP in the guinea-pig atria was unaffected by ruthenium red. The late but not the early response was strongly inhibited or abolished by tetrodotoxin (TTX), omega-conotoxin (CTX) or by the C-terminal fragment (8-37) of human alpha-calcitonin gene-related peptide (hCGRP). hCGRP-(8-37) acts as competitive antagonist at CGRP receptors. 4. In the guinea-pig isolated bladder, FMLP (10 nM-10 microM) produced a concentration-dependent contraction which was unchanged by previous in vitro capsaicin, TTX or CTX pretreatment. The response to low concentrations of FMLP was suppressed by indomethacin, irrespective of the capsaicin pretreatment. 5. FMLP (10 microM) produced a significant increase in the outflow of CGRP-like immunoreactivity (CGRP-LI) from superfused guinea-pig atria or urinary bladder. CGRP-LI outflow induced by FMLP was blocked by indomethacin or in vitro capsaicin pretreatment. 6. These findings indicate that FMLP activates the 'efferent' function of capsaicin-sensitive primary afferents via prostanoid generation. This action could provide a neurogenic contribution to the overall inflammatory response produced by bacteria-derived peptides in inflamed tissues. In addition the present data indicate that endogenous prostanoids generated during exposure to FMLP produce peptide secretion from sensory nerves via a TTX- and CTX-sensitive but ruthenium red-resistant mechanism.