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A simple, precise method has been developed for assessing neutrophil secretory responses (release of vitamin B12 binding protein from specific granules) to challenge of aliquots of whole blood with the bacterial chemotactic peptide N-formylmethionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP). Dose-response studies performed on blood from normal healthy volunteers showed higher maximal secretory responses in males than females (33.3 +/- SEM 2.2 vs. 27.4 +/- 2.5, P less than .005) a left shift in dose-response curves after feeding compared to fasting (P less than .005), spontaneous up-regulation of responses in blood incubated at 37 degrees C for 1 h, and marked upregulation in response to preincubation with endotoxin. This whole blood challenge method may be used to study neutrophil responses in groups of individuals or patients without the confounding effects of changes in cell responses resulting from cell isolation procedures. The method may also be used as a bioassay for neutrophil-activating factors.

Distribution of intrarenal blood flow has been measured in genetically hypertensive (GH) and normotensive (N) rats (aged 17--23 weeks) by a 133Xe washout technique without opening the abdominal cavity. Three different specific flow compartments were found in the rats. The distribution of the intrarenal blood flow to the fast compartment was reduced in the GH rats when compared with the N rats and the rate of flow in it was also reduced. The flow rate in the second compartment was the same in the two strains, the distribution to it being relatively greater in the GH rats. The mean renal blood flow index (in ml/min/g of kidney) was reduced in the GH rats. It is not at present clear whether these differences are due to the hypertension or represent a causative factor in the hypertension.

Intestinal absorption and enterohepatic circulation of N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-125I-tyrosine, a bioactive synthetic analog of the bacterial chemotactic peptide N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine has been investigated in the rat. In ileum and proximal and distal colon, dithiothreitol, which increases mucosal permeability, increased peptide absorption and biliary recovery fourfold, 70-fold, and 20-fold over control values, respectively. When dithiothreitol was combined with d-l-benzyl succinate, a potent inhibitor of intestinal carboxypeptidase, absorption and biliary recovery from ileal loops increased markedly to 40-fold over control, whereas there was no further increase in absorption from colon loops. There was a strong correlation between biliary N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-125I-tyrosine recovery and intestinal absorption of 51Cr-ethylenediaminetetraacetate, a marker of passive mucosal permeability (r = 0.97). We conclude that in the ileum both enzymic degradation and restricted mucosal permeability contribute to the intestinal barrier to luminal bacterial formyl oligopeptides. In the colon, however, enzymic mechanisms are less active and restricted mucosal permeability is the major factor. Abnormalities of the intestinal mucosal barrier to proinflammatory bacterial peptides could play a role in inflammatory disorders of the gut.

The association of hepatobiliary disorders with colonic inflammation is well recognized. Although the pathophysiology is obscure, increased permeation of toxic bacterial products across the inflamed gut to the portal circulation might be one mechanism. Potentially toxic metabolites include N-formylated chemotactic peptides that are produced by several species of intestinal bacteria and can be detected in colonic fluid in vivo. To investigate the metabolic fate of one of these low molecular weight proinflammatory peptides, N-formyl L-methionine L-leucine 125I-L-tyrosine was introduced into colon loops of healthy rats (n = 10) and rats with experimental colitis (n = 15) induced by rectal instillation of 15% (vol/vol) acetic acid. Gut, liver, and blood radioactivity were monitored by external gamma-counting and radioactivity in bile was measured by biliary catheter drainage into a well counter. Bile was processed by high-performance liquid chromatography to determine the amount of intact, bioactive peptide excreted over 3 h. After colonic instillation of 1 nmol of peptide, the mean (+/- SEM) biliary excretion of intact peptide was 6.4 +/- 2.0 pmol in normal rats and 49.0 +/- 20 pmol in rats with colitis (p less than 0.01). An enterohepatic circulation of synthetic N-formyl L-methionine L-leucine L-tyrosine has been demonstrated in the rat. Experimental colitis was associated with an eightfold increase in biliary excretion of this proinflammatory bacterial peptide. Proinflammatory bacterial peptides synthesized by colonic bacteria could be important in the pathophysiology of colon inflammation and its frequently associated hepatobiliary complications.