Spin trapping of superoxide radicals following stimulation of neutrophils with fMLP is temperature dependent

Some plasma component is essential for IL-6 secretion by Neutrophils

Recently, the neutrophil has been shown to have the capacity to produce a number of cytokines. Among these cytokines, interleukin-1 (IL-1), tumor necrosis factor- α (TNF- α ) and IL-6 are typical examples of multifunctional cytokines involved in regulation of the immune response and inflammation. However, there are conflicting reports in the literature concerning the issue of whether IL-6 expression can be modulated in human neutrophils.In this study, we showed the spontaneous secretion of IL-1 β , TNF- α and IL-6 by neutrophils. IL-6 secretion of neutrophils was effectively induced by IL-1 β . However, spontaneous or IL-1 β induced secretion of IL-6 was observed only when the cells were cultured in autologous plasma. Then we examined the spontaneous secretion of cytokines by co-cultured leukocytes (neutrophils, monocytes, and lymphocytes). Surprisingly, IL-6 was dramatically secreted by the leukocytes only when the cells were cultured in autologous plasma, although IL-1 β and TNF- α were secreted by the cells either in RPMI 1640 or in plasma. These observations suggest that the regulation of IL-6 production is qualitatively different from the production of IL-1 β or TNF- α by leukocytes.

Unique in vivo applications of spin traps

The ultimate goal of in vivo electron spin resonance (ESR) spin trapping is to provide a window to the characterization and quantification of free radicals with time within living organisms. However, the practical application of in vivo ESR to systems involving reactive oxygen radicals has proven challenging. Some of these limitations relate to instrument sensitivity and particularly to the relative stability of these radicals and their nitrone adducts, as well as toxicity limitations with dosing. Our aim here is to review the strengths and weaknesses of both traditional and in vivo ESR spin trapping and to describe new approaches that couple the strengths of spin trapping with methodologies that promise to overcome some of the problems, in particular that of radical adduct decomposition. The new, complementary techniques include: (i) NMR spin trapping, which monitors new NMR lines resulting from diamagnetic products of radical spin adduct degradation and reduction, (ii) detection of *NO by ESR with dithiocarbamate: Fe(II) "spin trap-like" complexes, (iii) MRI spin trapping, which images the dithiocarbamate: Fe(II)-NO complexes by proton relaxation contrast enhancement, and (iv) the use of ESR to follow the reactions of sulfhydryl groups with dithiol biradical spin labels to form "thiol spin label adducts," for monitoring intracellular redox states of glutathione and other thiols. Although some of these approaches are in their infancy, they show promise of adding to the arsenal of techniques to measure and possibly "image" oxidative stress in living organisms in real time.

NMR spin trapping: detection of free radical reactions using a phosphorus-containing nitrone spin trap

This study employs (31)P-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to probe for changes in molecular structure arising from reactions between free radicals and a phosphorus-containing nitrone spin trap, 5-diethoxyphosphoryl-5-methyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide (DEPMPO). A number of biologically relevant free radical reactions were detected: a) reactions of DEPMPO with ( small middle dot)OH resulted in a new (31)P-NMR resonance at 27.05 ppm (shifted from the parent compound at 23.67 ppm); evidence suggests that this species is a diamagnetic hydroxy-pyrrolidone reduction product; b) (31)P-NMR spectra of DEPMPO/( small middle dot)CH(3) reactions resulted in peaks at 24.54, 30.83, and 32.31 ppm, while DEPMPO/( small middle dot)CH(2)OH produced peaks at 24.05, 30.80 and 32.52 ppm; in the presence of excess ascorbate, only resonances between 30 and 32 ppm were evident, which we have tentatively assigned to the hydroxylamine isomers of their respective adducts; and c) reaction of DEPMPO with O(2)( small middle dot-), produced by xanthine/xanthine oxidase or stimulated neutrophils, resulted in a single line, indistinguishable from DEPMPO/( small middle dot)OH reaction products. We conclude that NMR spin trapping is a useful approach for detecting free radical reaction pathways. It may have future applications for human free radical biology and imaging. Magn Reson Med 42:228-234, 1999.

N-tert-butyl-alpha-phenylnitrone protects against 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine-induced depletion of serotonin in rats

The present study examined the effect of N-tert-butyl-alpha-phenylnitrone (PBN) on 3,4-methylenedioxmathamphetamine (MDMA)-induced depletion of serotonin in the CNS. Rats were treated with two concurrent injections of MDMA (20 mg/kg, s.c.), PBN (50-400 mg/kg dissolved in ethanol, 50 mg/ml of 25% ethanol, i.p.), saline or 25% ethanol, alone or in combination, 6 h apart, and sacrificed 5 days later. Rectal temperature was measured prior to and hourly following the drug injection for 5 h. Monoamine levels in the tissue were measured by HPLC. Density of the 5-HT transporters was assayed by [3H]paroxetine binding. Rectal temperature of rats increased after MDMA, decreased after PBN, ethanol, PBN plus ethanol, and MDMA plus ethanol, and was not significantly altered after MDMA plus PBN. Levels of 5-HT and 5-HIAA in the frontal cortex, hippocampus, striatum, and brain stem of rats decreased significantly after MDMA or MDMA plus ethanol, but not after MDMA plus PBN, PBN plus ethanol (PBN dissolved in ethanol), or ethanol as compared to the saline controls. Levels of 5-HT and 5-HIAA in the brain tissues of rats treated with MDMA plus PBN were elevated as compared to those treated with MDMA plus saline. Similar results were observed in the density of 5-HT transporters in the frontal cortex and hippocampus. These results indicate that scavenging of free radicals of MDMA metabolites or reactive oxygen species by PBN and with lowering of body temperature protected against MDMA-induced depletion of serotonin transmitter.

Determination of the rate of superoxide generation from biological systems by spin trapping: use of rapid oxygen depletion to measure the decay rate of spin adducts

A method was developed to measure the superoxide generation rate from biological systems using the spin trapping method. Kinetic treatment of the decay rate of the superoxide adduct of 5,5-dimethylpyrroline N-oxide (DMPO) revealed that the EPR signal intensity of the system is proportional to the superoxide generation rate. Rapid depletion of oxygen in the sample was utilized to terminate superoxide generation so that the decay rate of the DMPO superoxide adduct (DMPO-OOH) could be determined. For this decay measurement, a controlled atmosphere EPR cavity was developed and was used with an open-air sample cell. Superoxide generation rates determined with this method for stimulated neutrophils and for the hypoxanthine-xanthine oxidase system were comparable to those obtained with the cytochrome c reduction method. This method is specifically applicable to the system in which dissolved oxygen supplied from the gas phase is utilized as a source of superoxide.