Biological actions of leukotrienes. State of the art lecture

Macrophage immunoregulatory pathways in tuberculosis

Macrophages, the major host cells harboring Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb), are a heterogeneous cell type depending on their tissue of origin and host they are derived from. Significant discord in macrophage responses to M.tb exists due to differences in M.tb strains and the various types of macrophages used to study tuberculosis (TB). This review will summarize current concepts regarding macrophage responses to M.tb infection, while pointing out relevant differences in experimental outcomes due to the use of divergent model systems. A brief description of the lung environment is included since there is increasing evidence that the alveolar macrophage (AM) has immunoregulatory properties that can delay optimal protective host immune responses. In this context, this review focuses on selected macrophage immunoregulatory pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), cytokines, negative regulators of inflammation, lipid mediators and microRNAs (miRNAs).

Cyclooxygenases, lipoxygenases, and epoxygenases in CNS: Their role and involvement in neurological disorders

Three enzyme systems, cyclooxygenases that generate prostaglandins, lipoxygenases that form hydroxy derivatives and leukotrienes, and epoxygenases that give rise to epoxyeicosatrienoic products, metabolize arachidonic acid after its release from neural membrane phospholipids by the action of phospholipase A(2). Lysophospholipids, the other products of phospholipase A(2) reactions, are either reacylated or metabolized to platelet-activating factor. Under normal conditions, these metabolites play important roles in synaptic function, cerebral blood flow regulation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, and gene expression. Increased activities of cyclooxygenases, lipoxygenases, and epoxygenases under pathological situations such as ischemia, epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease produce neuroinflammation involving vasodilation and vasoconstriction, platelet aggregation, leukocyte chemotaxis and release of cytokines, and oxidative stress. These are closely associated with the neural cell injury which occurs in these neurological conditions. The metabolic products of docosahexaenoic acid, through these enzymes, generate a new class of lipid mediators, namely docosatrienes and resolvins. These metabolites antagonize the effect of metabolites derived from arachidonic acid. Recent studies provide insight into how these arachidonic acid metabolites interact with each other and other bioactive mediators such as platelet-activating factor, endocannabinoids, and docosatrienes under normal and pathological conditions. Here, we review present knowledge of the functions of cyclooxygenases, lipoxygenases, and epoxygenases in brain and their association with neurodegenerative diseases.

Sustained increase in arterial blood pressure and vascular resistance induced by infusion of arachidonic acid in rats

The haemodynamic responses to arachidonic acid (AA) have been investigated in seven groups of anaesthetized rats. Sodium arachidonate was infused intravenously for 4 or 20 min, and arterial blood pressure was recorded continuously. Cardiac output and organ blood flow were measured by microspheres. Infusion of arachidonate caused first a fast drop in arterial blood pressure, thereafter it increased steadily for 5-15 min towards a pressure about 25 mmHg above control level. The high pressure was maintained for at least 1 h. Repeated infusions of arachidonate gave similar responses. Inhibition of cyclo-oxygenase by indomethacin prevented the initial pressure drop to arachidonate, but not the sustained increase in pressure. Arterial pressure, total vascular resistance and blood flow in the kidneys, adrenals and spleen were significantly reduced, whereas cardiac output was not changed 4 min after start infusion of arachidonate. However, average blood pressure was significantly increased 22 and 35 min after start infusion (from 103.9 +/- 2.9 to 128.1 +/- 6.1 and 135.8 +/- 4.6 mmHg). Mean vascular resistance increased simultaneously (from 3.5 +/- 0.2 to 4.7 +/- 0.4 and 5.2 +/- 0.4 mmHg 100 mL-1), while cardiac output, stroke volume and heart rate were maintained or slightly reduced. The renal blood flow was significantly lowered (from average 4.9 +/- 0.1 to 3.3 +/- 0.2 and 4.0 +/- 0.2 mL min-1). Indomethacin did not prevent the changes in vascular resistance or organ blood flow recorded after 20-35 min. On the other hand, inhibition of both cyclo-oxygenase, lipoxygenase and the cytochrome P450 pathways by eicosatetrayonic acid (ETYA) normalized all haemodynamic parameters. Likewise, the rise in pressure was prevented by 17-octadecynoic acid (17-ODYA), an inhibitor of the cytochrome P450 enzyme activity. Thus, arachidonate infusion caused a transient decrease, and then a sustained increase in arterial pressure and vascular resistance, and a long-lasting reduction in renal blood flow, possibly owing to release of a cytochrome P450 dependent vasoconstrictor metabolite of AA.

Importance of platelets in neutrophil adhesion and vasoconstriction after deep carotid arterial injury by angioplasty in pigs

In previous studies we have shown that platelets can support neutrophil adhesion to the injured vessel wall in vitro and that neutrophils contribute to vascular tone regulation after arterial injury in vivo. In this study, we investigated the implication of platelets in neutrophil adhesion and the vasomotor response to arterial injury in vivo. 111In-labeled neutrophil adhesion and angiographic vasoconstriction were quantified after deep carotid arterial injury by balloon angioplasty in normal (n = 8), thrombocytopenic (n = 7), and aspirin-treated (2 mg/kg IV, n = 7) pigs. Thrombocytopenia was produced by a polyclonal antiplatelet serum that depleted circulating platelet count by 84% without influencing neutrophil count. In the control animals, neutrophil adhesion (x 10(4)/cm2) at the site of deep arterial injury averaged 26.8 +/- 4.0 and decreased significantly to 11.5 +/- 2.3 and 11.2 +/- 2.4 in the thrombocytopenic and aspirin groups, respectively. The degree of vasconstriction was also reduced significantly, from 55.5 +/- 3.8% in the control group to 31.4 +/- 6.2% after platelet depletion and to 23.6 +/- 4.5% in the aspirin-treated group. Neutrophil adhesion to intact noninjured adjacent arterial segments was low in all groups and was not affected by the antiplatelet serum or by aspirin. In in vitro superfusion flow chambers, neutrophil adhesion to damaged arterial segments increased in the presence of platelets in a concentration-dependent manner and was not influenced by the antiplatelet serum. This study demonstrates that platelets can modulate neutrophil adhesion to the deeply injured arterial wall and that both elements may influence the degree of postangioplasty vasoconstriction in vivo.

Cysteinyl leukotriene actions on the microcirculation of the normal and split hydronephrotic rat kidney

The effects of leukotriene D4 (LTD4) and leukotriene E4 (LTE4) on renal microcirculation were determined on normal and hydronephrotic female Wistar rats. In normal kidneys, the effects of LTD4 on total renal blood flow and glomerular filtration rate were measured by a flow meter and by inulin clearance. In the split hydronephrotic kidney, the LTD4- and LTE4-mediated vascular effects were localized by intravital microscopy. Intravenous infusion of low-dose LTD4 (1 x 10(-9) mol min-1 kg-1) over 15 min induced a strong decrease in renal blood flow (-43% and -70%) in the normal and the hydronephrotic kidney. After the infusion the glomerular filtration rate of the normal kidney was significantly reduced by 65% and the filtration fraction by 32%. The fall in filtration fraction is in accordance with the significant decrease in luminal diameters of the arcuate artery (-28%) and the proximal interlobular artery (-12%) in the hydronephrotic kidney under LTD4. The decrease in renal blood flow, glomerular filtration rate, filtration fraction and luminal diameters persisted in the normal as well as in the hydronephrotic kidney for more than 60 min beyond cessation of infusion. Local application of LTD4 (1 x 10(-10) mol l-1 up to 1 x 10(-7) mol l-1) and LTE4 (1 x 10(-10) mol l-1 up to 1 x 10(-8) mol l-1) induced a dose-dependent constriction of the arcuate artery and the proximal interlobular artery. The distal interlobular artery, the afferent and the efferent arteriole were not significantly affected by LTD4 or LTE4. The glomerular blood flow was dose-dependently reduced up to 48% under local LTD4 and 43% under LTE4. The LTD4/LTE4 antagonist FPL 55712 (1 x 10(-8) mol min-1 kg-1, iv) significantly attenuated the effects of LTD4 infusion and local LTE4 application in the hydronephrotic kidney. This is indicative of the presence of receptors for LTD4 and LTE4 in the larger preglomerular vessels of the rat kidney. The LTD4 effects on the normal kidney were attenuated by simultaneous infusion of dopamine (5 microgram min-1 kg-1) or plasma expansion, two principal methods in the treatment of acute renal failure. The results in the normal and hydronephrotic kidney demonstrate a preferential preglomerular vasoconstriction under LTD4 and LTE4 causing a marked decrease in renal and glomerular blood flow, glomerular filtration rate and filtration fraction.

Metabolism of leukotriene C4 in the anesthetized guinea pig

The distribution and metabolism of [3H] leukotriene (LT)C4 has been studied in the anesthetized guinea pig. The intravenous administration of [3H] LTC4 (1 muCi/kg) to seven guinea pigs showed a rapid vascular clearance of radioactivity with significant metabolism evident at the 15 sec and 1 min time points with material chromatographing like LTC4 (45.6 +/- 7.5%, 35.0 +/- 4.4%). LTD4 (18.4 +/- 5.1%, 33.2 +/- 4.4%) as well as polar material (25.5 +/- 6.0%, 29.7 +/- 4.7%) respectively. The biliary recovery of radioactivity was found to be 74.5 +/- 5.5% n = 4, over 120 min in the guinea pig with less than 1% of radioactivity present in the urine. Examination of the metabolic profile of the biliary radioactivity showed total conversion of LTC4 to LTD4 which was the major metabolite at early time points, and LTD4 as well as LTE4 at later time points. Significant radioactivity which increased with time was also present at the solvent front of the chromatogram indicating the presence of polar biliary metabolites. These results show that the major route of elimination of peptide leukotrienes is through the bile duct in the anesthetized guinea pig and that LTD4 is the major eliminated metabolite in this model.

Effects of bradykinin and leukotrienes B4 and D4 on the bovine bronchial artery in vitro: role of the endothelium

The effects of bradykinin, leukotriene (LT) B4 and LTD4 on the bovine bronchial artery were studied using isolated, perfused vessel segments. Intrapulmonary bronchial arteries were precontracted to the EC50 of 5-hydroxytryptamine in the organ bath, after which increasing concentrations of bradykinin, LTB4 or LTD4 were perfused through the vessel lumen. In arteries with intact endothelium, bradykinin induced a concentration-dependent relaxation beginning at 1 pmol/l (p less than 0.01), whereas LTD4 and LTB4 had no significant effect. Indomethacin (10 mumol/l) significantly (p less than 0.01) inhibited bradykinin-induced relaxation with an increase in the IC50 from 0.11 +/- 0.08 nmol/l to 0.51 +/- 0.10 nmol/l (p less than 0.05). In endothelium-denuded arteries bradykinin had no observed effect, whereas LTB4 and LTD4 significantly increased tone with threshold concentrations of 50 pmol/l (p less than 0.025) and 5 pmol/l (p less than 0.05), respectively. The data indicate that in the bronchial artery: 1) bradykinin is a potent vasodilator; 2) bradykinin-induced relaxation is endothelium-dependent and only partially blocked by a cyclooxygenase inhibitor; 3) removal of the endothelium unmasks a potent contractile effect of LTB4 and LTD4.

Metabolism of arachidonic acid in isolated glomeruli from pig kidney

Arachidonic acid metabolism in isolated glomeruli from pig kidney was investigated. Arachidonic acid metabolism via cyclooxygenase was studied by three different methodological approaches: radioimmunoassay (RIA), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). By all these techniques, the major prostaglandins (PG) formed by pig glomeruli appeared to be 6-keto-PGF1 alpha and PGF2 alpha, the former being the most abundant. RIA and GC-MS also detected lower amounts of thromboxane B2 (TxB2) and PGE2. This emphasises the similarity with human glomeruli, in which the main cyclooxygenase product has indeed been reported to be 6-keto-PGF1 alpha. The lipoxygenase activity in isolated pig glomeruli, as studied by HPLC, generated 15-HETE, 12-HETE and 5-HETE. These data demonstrate that isolated glomeruli from pig kidney possess cyclooxygenase as well as lipoxygenase activity. Since a marked functional similarity exists between human and pig kidney, the pig can be regarded as a good model for studying the influence of arachidonic acid metabolites on glomerular pathophysiology.

Peptidoleukotrienes induce an endothelium-dependent relaxation of guinea pig main pulmonary artery and thoracic aorta

The purpose of our investigation was to assess the role of the endothelium in the vasomotor effects of leukotrienes. Norepinephrine-preconstricted rings isolated from guinea pig main pulmonary artery and thoracic aorta responded to LTC4 and LTD4 with a concentration-dependent relaxation. In endothelium-denuded rings, both LTC4 and LTD4 caused a concentration-dependent contraction. The LTD4 receptor antagonist ICI 198,615 inhibited both LTC4- and LTD4-induced relaxation and contraction. Inhibition of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase with AT-125 prevented the effects of LTC4, but not those of LTD4. The relaxant effect of LTD4 was not modified by indomethacin, but was abolished by methylene blue. We conclude that: 1) LTD4 induces a receptor-mediated endothelium-dependent relaxation of cavian pulmonary artery and aorta; 2) the vasorelaxant effect of LTC4 requires its conversion to LTD4; 3) the vasorelaxant effect of LTD4 is unrelated to PGI2 release, and is probably due to the release of an "EDRF"; 4) the removal of the endothelium reveals a direct receptor-mediated vasoconstricting effect of leukotrienes.