Bronchopulmonary effects of endothelin

Involvement of endothelin in mononuclear phagocyte inflammation in asthma

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Endothelin has bronchoconstrictive, vasoactive, and inflammatory properties and may be involved in the pathogenesis of asthma. We have studied the involvement of endothelin in asthma by examining its expression and release by mononuclear phagocytes obtained from 56 patients with asthma and 32 control subjects and the activation of mononuclear phagocytes by endothelin.

METHODS

Endothelin immunoreactivity was studied by using immunocytochemistry on monocytes and alveolar macrophages. Spontaneous and lipopolysaccharide-induced endothelin release from monocytes and alveolar macrophages was studied by radioimmunoassay. The proportion of intracellular endothelin was assessed after cell disruption by Triton (Union Carbide Corp., Bound Brook, N.J.). The release of fibronectin and tumor necrosis factor-alpha induced by endothelin was studied in alveolar macrophages by enzyme immunoassay.

RESULTS

Endothelin immunoreactivity was significantly increased in cells from patients with asthma in comparison with those from the control group, but its release by alveolar macrophages was similar in both groups. Levels in the cell lysates and supernatants were similar for patients with asthma and normal subjects. Endothelin significantly increased the release of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and fibronectin by alveolar macrophages from normal subjects and patients with stable asthma, but it significantly decreased their release in patients with unstable asthma.

CONCLUSION

This study suggests a role for endothelin in airway inflammation in asthma. Endothelin may act in a different fashion on alveolar macrophages, depending on the degree of stability of the disease.

Effects of endothelins 1, 2 and 3 on mucosal blood flow in the upper airways

The three endothlins 1, 2 and 3 (ET-1, ET-2 and ET-3) are 21-amino-acid peptides which in a previous study in the rabbit have been shown to increase both mucociliary activity in the maxillary sinus in vivo and ciliary beat frequency (CBF) in sinus and tracheal samples in vitro. We have also demonstrated positive immunohistochemical staining for endothelin in the epithelium of samples from both maxillary sinus and trachea. The aims of the present investigation were to study the effects of the three endothlins on mucosal blood flow in the maxillary sinus of rabbits and the nasal mucosa of humans. ET-1, ET-2 and ET-3 decreased mucosal blood flow in the maxillary sinus of rabbits measured in vivo with laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF). Significant dose-response relationships were established for all endothelins. A comparison of the regression lines of the dose-response relationships for ET-1 and ET-2 did not show any difference, whereas the regression line of the dose-response relationships for ET-3 differed significantly. Maximum effect was seen at 50.0 pmol/kg ET-1, which reduced blood flow by -74.4 +/- 7.0%. Vasoconstriction became evident 30 s after administration of the endothelins, reached its maximum after 1 min and lasted 10 to 20 min. ET-1 induced stronger vasconstriction than ET-2 and ET-3 at equal dosage, except at 100.0 pmol/kg, where ET-2 had the same effect as ET-1. No tachyphylaxis was observed after repeated 10.0 pmol/kg-dose of ET-1. Similarly, there was no tachyphylactic effect on mucociliary activity in vivo in the maxillary sinus of rabbits after repeated challenges with ET-1 at 10.0 pmol/kg. Pretreatment with the cyclooxygenase inhibitors diclofenac had no inhibitory effect on the vasoconstriction induced by ET-1 at 10.0 and 50.0 pmol/kg. In 6 human volunteers the peak blood flow in the nasal septum decreased by -41.8 +/- 11.6% (p < 0.05) and AUC (area under curve) values decreased by -612.0 +/- 322.4% (p < 0.05) after challenge with 0.1 nmol ET-1, delivered in aerosol form into the nose. The effects of the endothelins on the blood flow in the upper airways of rabbit and man indicate that they have a functional role in the regulation of the mucosal vasculature of the upper airways.

Endothelin in organ transplantation

Solid organ allografts are often compromised by ischemia, acute rejection episodes associated with hemodynamic changes, and chronic rejection typically characterized by the development of obliterative vasculopathy, and in the case of the kidney, and glomerulosclerosis. Recent in vivo data indicate that endothelin (ET) production is locally upregulated in rejecting allografts, and that, in addition to endothelial cells, ET is also produced by graft-infiltrating mononuclear cells (monocytes/macrophages). In vitro data also indicate that ET production is regulated, at least in part, by certain T cell-and monocyte/macrophage-derived cytokines, which are abundant in rejecting allografts. These data and the findings of elevated plasma levels of ET after transplantation (in particular during rejection processes), the effects of immunosuppressive drugs (cyclosporine and tacrolimus in particular) on ET production, and the profound vasoconstrictive and mitogenic properties of this peptide suggest that endothelin may be involved in the initiation and propagation of posttransplantation complications; including systemic hypertension, acute allograft dysfunction, and perhaps most importantly, chronic allograft dysfunction. These observations provide the rational to use ET receptor antagonists to formally address the potential role of ET in these processes, and to develop therapeutic strategies that ameliorate or possibly prevent these complications.

Maturational changes in superoxide anion production of rabbit alveolar macrophages

We investigated the effect of maturation on the superoxide anion production of rabbit alveolar macrophages by endothelin-1, N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine, and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. The O2- production by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate in young (0.2-0.3 kg) rabbits was as high as that in adult (3.0-3.5 kg) rabbits. However, when alveolar macrophages were stimulated by N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine or preincubated with endothelin-1 before phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate stimulation, O2- production of young rabbits was relatively weak compared to adult rabbits. The present data indicate that the ability of O2- production is sufficiently developed with a chemotactic peptide which directly stimulates protein kinase C.

Mucociliary function and endothelins 1, 2, and 3

Endothelins are recently discovered peptides that cause vasoconstriction and bronchoconstriction. The significance to the mucociliary system of endothelins (ET) 1, 2 and 3 in upper as well as lower airways has not yet been clarified. Effects of these active peptides were investigated, combining both in vitro and in vivo rabbit models of mucociliary activity from the maxillary sinus and the trachea. The studies were performed using computerized photometric microscopy. Immunohistologic staining procedures were used to determine the presence of endothelins in sinus and trachea epithelium. Significant effects on mucociliary activity were noted for ET-1, -2, and -3 in vitro as well as in vivo. All endothelins were noted to accelerate mucociliary activity of both sinus and tracheal mucosa. The effects of endothelins were greater in the sinus than in the trachea. In vitro studies using the calcium blocker nifedipine and the cyclooxygenase inhibitor diclofenac indicated that the mechanism of action involves an intermediary prostaglandin pathway but is independent of release of intracellular calcium. These results were confirmed using ET-1 in vivo. Immunohistochemical staining showed endothelin to be present in both maxillary and tracheal epithelium of the rabbit. We conclude that endothelins have significant mucociliary stimulatory effects and that the presence of endothelins in normal mucosa indicates a potentially important role in respiratory homeostasis as well as inflammatory conditions.

The role of endothelin in the vessel wall

Endothelins (ETs) are a family of vasoactive peptides occurring in three isoforms (ET-1, ET-2, ET-3) encoded by three distinct genes in the human genome. ETs arise from precursor peptides (big-ETs) that are cleaved and released by an endothelin-converting enzyme. ET-1 secretion, which can be stimulated by various agents, is preferentially directed towards the abluminal site of endothelial cells, suggesting a local paracrine action of the peptide. ETs exert their actions through the activation of at least two receptor subtypes: ET-A receptors, which mediate the proliferative and vasoconstrictive effects, and ET-B receptors, which mediate vasorelaxation. Although, the potential roles of ETs are mostly hypothetical, considering their potent cardiovascular effects, it has been suggested that maintenance of a basal vascular tone and regulation of vascular growth and haemostasis may well represent the biological functions of this family of peptides. The recent discovery of specific receptor antagonists will provide a means to assess their physiological and pathophysiological roles.

Bronchopulmonary responses to endothelin-1 in sensitized and challenged guinea-pigs: role of cyclooxygenase metabolites and platelet-activating factor

The effect of phosphoramidon on the increase in pulmonary inflation pressure (PIP) induced by endothelin-1 (ET-1) administered by aerosol in ovalbumin (OA)-sensitized and challenged guinea-pigs was investigated after pretreatment or not of the animals with the neutral endopeptidase inhibitor, phosphoramidon, the cyclooxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin or the platelet activating factor (PAF) antagonist, BN 50730. When guinea-pigs were pretreated by phosphoramidon (0.1 mM, aerosol for 15 min), a significant enhancement of PIP was observed after administration of ET-1 (1 or 3 micrograms ml-1, aerosol for 2 min), whereas these doses of the peptide were only slightly active in control animals. In sensitized and unchallenged guinea-pigs, ET-1 (1 or 3 micrograms.ml-1, aerosol for 2 min) induced, as in controls, a moderate increase in PIP. In contrast, aerosol exposure of OA in sensitized guinea-pigs developed an increased PIP following ET-1 (1 and 3 micrograms.ml-1, aerosol for 2 min) administration, that was non significantly affected by pretreatment of the animals with phosphoramidon after the dose of 3 micrograms ml-1 ET-1. Guinea-pigs exposed to phorphoramidon and treated with indomethacin (10 mg kg-1, i.v.) or BN 50730 (25 mg kg-1, per os) significantly reduced the increase in PIP upon administration of ET-1 (3 micrograms.ml-1, aerosol for 2 min). No inhibitory effect of indomethacin was noted when ET-1 (3 micrograms.ml-1, aerosol for 2 min) was administered to sensitized and OA-exposed guinea-pigs, pretreated or not with phosphoramidon. In contrast, BN 50730 significantly reduced the increase in PIP induced by ET-1 observed in sensitized and OA-exposed guinea-pigs. Moreover, this drug was moderately active in reducing the increase in PIP induced by ET-1, when the animals were pretreated by phosphoramidon. These results suggest that a phosphoramidon-sensitive endopeptidase-like enzyme, present in the airway tissue modulates the effect of ET-1. Furthermore, the increase in PIP to ET-1 observed in aerosol-sensitized and antigen-exposed guinea-pigs appears to be mediated by PAF rather than cyclooxygenase metabolites, even though the participation of other mediators in this process is open.

Different distribution of endothelin receptor subtypes in pulmonary tissues revealed by the novel selective ligands BQ-123 and [Ala1,3,11,15]ET-1

We have demonstrated the different distribution of two distinct endothelin (ET) receptor subtypes in porcine pulmonary tissues using a radioligand binding assay. The clear differentiation of the subtypes was made possible by the discovery of two compounds, BQ-123 and [Ala1,3,11,15]ET-1 (4AlaET-1), that are highly selective for ETA and ETB receptors, respectively. In the bronchus and lung parenchyma, BQ-123 inhibited 65% and 30% of [125I]ET-1 binding on the sensitive sites, while 4AlaET-1 displaced 25% and 60%, respectively. The combination of the two compounds completely inhibited ET-1 binding in both tissues. An autoradiographic study of [125I]ET-1 binding using BQ-123 and 4AlaET-1 also supported the different localization of two ET receptor subtypes in pulmonary tissues. In particular, the blood vessels and bronchi are rich in ETA, but the lung parenchyma is rich in ETB.