Suppressive effects of sivelestat on interleukin 8 and TNF-α production from LPS-stimulated granulocytes in whole blood culture

The goal of the study was to examine the effects of sivelestat sodium hydrate (sivelestat), a neutrophil elastase inhibitor, on production of cytokines in granulocytes and monocytes, using flow cytometry after cytokine staining in whole blood culture. Blood samples were collected from healthy volunteers. Vehicle (control group), lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (LPS group), or LPS + sivelestat (sivelestat group) were added to the whole blood, followed by addition of a protein transport inhibitor in each group. After incubation, staining for cytokines retained in the cells was performed by addition of an anti-interleukin 8 (IL-8) or anti-tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) antibody. The cells were then analyzed using flow cytometry. Granulocytic production of IL-8 induced by 1 ng/ml LPS was significantly (P