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The role of resident cells during the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced neutrophil recruitment into rat air pouches was investigated. In this model, LPS (Escherichia coli, O55: B5 strain; 2- 2000 ng) induced a dose- and time-dependent neutrophil recruitment accompanied by the generation of a tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha)-like activity. Dexamethasone (0.05 - 5 mug) and cycloheximide (6 ng), injected 2 h before LPS into the pouches, inhibited the neutrophil recruitment and the generation of the TNFalpha-like activity, while the H1-receptor antagonist mepyramine (1 and 4 mg/kg, i.p., 0.5 h before LPS) and the PAF-receptor antagonist WEB 2170 (0.05 and 1 mg/kg, i.p., 0.5 h before LPS) had no effect. Purified alveolar macrophages (AM) were used to replenish the pouches of cycloheximide-treated recipient rats. AM provided by PBS-treated animals led to the recovery of the LPS-induced neutrophil recruitment and of the TNFalpha-like formation contrasting with those from cycloheximide-treated animals (1 mg/kg, i.p.). When delivered in situ, liposome-encapsulated clodronate, a macrophage depletor, significantly impaired both the LPSinduced neutrophil recruitment and the TNFalpha-like activity. An anti-murine TNFalpha polyclonal antibody (0.5 h before LPS) was also effective. These results emphasize the pivotal role of macrophages for LPS-induced neutrophil recruitment via the formation of TNFalpha. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. The effects of pertussis toxin on the N-formyl-L-methionyl-L-leucyl-L-phenylalanine (fMLP) and platelet-activating factor (PAF)-induced variations in pulmonary capillary albumin exchanges, blood volume, leucocyte or platelet sequestration were studied in the guinea-pig, by use of radioactive tracers. The effects of pertussis toxin on pulmonary insufflation pressure were studied in parallel. 2. The i.v. administration of fMLP and PAF to the guinea-pig was followed by bronchoconstriction, increased lung capillary albumin exchanges (vasopermeability) sequestration of leucocytes, leucopenia and reduction of blood volume (vasoconstriction). PAF also induced platelet sequestration in lungs and thrombocytopenia. 3. Pertussis toxin (10 micrograms kg-1, i.v., 72 h before the experiment) prevented all the studied fMLP-induced effects, but failed to modify PAF-induced bronchoconstriction, lung vasoconstriction, platelet sequestration, thrombocytopenia and the increased capillary vasopermeability. In the same conditions the lung leucocyte sequestration was not significantly affected when leucopenia was partially reduced. 4. It is suggested that the effects of fMLP, but not those of PAF, involve a Gi-like protein.

When injected i.v. to guinea pigs, the granulocyte secretagog N-formyl-L-methionyl-L-leucyl-L-phenylalanine (fMLP) induces bronchoconstriction (BC), lung platelet sequestration and increased transendothelial albumin exchanges in lungs. We evaluated BC and the variations of the lung contents in radiolabeled platelets, erythrocytes and extravascular albumin, as measurements of platelet lung entrapment, reduction of lung blood volume and increase of transendothelial albumin exchanges, respectively. Trimetoquinol, a thromboxane A2 (TXA2)-endoperoxide receptor antagonist, inhibited BC and platelet entrapment by lungs induced by fMLP, but protection was nonspecific because it also suppressed BC by histamine. The specific TXA2 synthetase inhibitor/endoperoxide receptor antagonist ridogrel suppressed BC and reduced lung platelet entrapment, but failed to prevent the increase of extravascular albumin and the decrease of erythrocyte lung contents due to fMLP. Consequently, the fMLP-induced increase of vascular albumin exchanges and reduction of lung blood volume are TXA2-independent. Aspirin prevented BC, but failed to suppress lung platelet entrapment by fMLP, indicating that in vivo platelet activation is not TXA2-dependent, even though the levels of circulating TXB2, the stable metabolite of TXA2, were increased after fMLP concomitantly with that of 6-keto-prostaglandin (PG)F1 alpha, the stable metabolite of PGI2. The ridogrel-treated animals showed reduced blood level of TXB2 and increased levels of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha after fMLP challenge. Blocking the cyclooxygenase pathway with aspirin prevented ridogrel-induced protection against lung platelet sequestration after fMLP, supporting the concept that rechanneling of arachidonate metabolism toward protective prostaglandins accounts for protection by ridogrel.