Neutrophil defensins stimulate the release of cytokines by airway epithelial cells: modulation by dexamethasone

OBJECTIVE AND DESIGN: Neutrophils may contribute to recruiting other cells to sites of inflammation by generating chemotactic signals themselves, or by stimulating other cell types to release chemoattractants such as interleukin-8 (IL-8). Recently, we demonstrated that neutrophil-derived alpha-defensins are able to increase IL-8 expression in airway epithelial cells. In addition, it has previously been reported that neutrophil elastase-induced IL-8 synthesis was insensitive to inhibition by the glucocorticoid dexamethasone. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of defensins on the expression of various cytokines in cultured airway epithelial cells and to examine the effect of dexamethasone on defensin-induced cytokine synthesis in these cells. METHODS: Cultures of A549 cells and primary bronchial epithelial cells (PBEC) were stimulated with defensins either alone or in the presence of dexamethasone. Supernatants were analyzed for IL-8, ENA-78, IL-6, MCP-1 and GM-CSF by ELISA. In addition, IL-8 and ENA-78 mRNA was detected by Northern blot analysis. RESULTS: Defensins increased IL-8 expression, ENA-78, MCP-1 and GM-CSF release from A549 cells, whereas in PBEC only IL-8 and IL-6 were increased. Pre-treatment with dexamethasone significantly reduced defensin-induced IL-6, IL-8 and ENA-78 synthesis in airway epithelial cells. In addition, dexamethasone also reduced the neutrophil chemotactic activity in supernatants of these cells. CONCLUSIONS: The results from the present study indicate that defensins differentially induce cytokine secretion by A549 cells and PBEC. Glucocorticoids may interfere with the defensin-induced inflammatory process by reducing defensin-induced cytokine secretion in lung epithelial cells.     

Selective Up-Regulation of Chemokine IL-8 Expression in Cystic Fibrosis Bronchial Gland Cells in Vivo and in Vitro

Accumulating evidence suggests that the early pulmonary inflammation pathogenesis in cystic fibrosis (CF) may be associated with an abnormal increase in the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the CF lung, even in the absence of infectious stimuli. We have postulated that if baseline abnormalities in airway epithelial cell production of cytokines occur in CF, they should be manifested in the CF bronchial submucosal glands, which are known to express high levels of CFTR (cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator) protein, the gene product mutated in CF disease. Immunohistochemical analyses showed that CF bronchial submucosal glands in patients homozygous for the ΔF508 deletion expressed elevated levels of the endogenous chemokine interleukin (IL)-8 but not the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-6, compared with non-CF bronchial glands. Moreover, basal protein and mRNA expression of IL-8 were constitutively up-regulated in cultured ΔF508 homozygous CF human bronchial gland cells, in an unstimulated state, compared with non-CF bronchial gland cells. Furthermore, the exposure of CF and non-CF bronchial gland cells to an elevated extracellular Cl⁻ concentration markedly increased the release of IL-8, which can be corrected in CF gland cells by reducing the extracellular Cl⁻ concentration. We also found that, in contrast to non-CF gland cells, dexamethasone did not inhibit the release of IL-8 by cultured CF gland cells. The selective up-regulation of bronchial submucosal gland IL-8 could represent a primary event that initiates early airway submucosal inflammation in CF patients. These findings are relevant to the pathogenesis of CF and suggest a novel pathophysiological concept for the early and sustained airway inflammation in CF patients.     

Immunocytochemical localization of cyclo-oxygenase isoforms in cultured human airway structural cells

BACKGROUND: Cyclo-oxygenase (COX) exists as two isoforms, COX-1, the constitutive isoform, and COX-2, which is inducible by cytokines or inflammatory stimuli and may participate in airway inflammation. OBJECTIVE: To determine the basal distribution of COX isoforms, and their regulation by interleukin-1 beta (IL-1beta), bradykinin (BK) and dexamethasone (Dex) in cultured airway structural cells. METHODS: We measured COX-1 and COX-2 in cultured human airway smooth muscle (HASM) cells, MRC5 fibroblasts and normal human epithelial cells (NHBE) using immunocytochemical analysis. RESULTS: The majority of all types of untreated cultured cells expressed COX-1 (75% of HASM, 75% of MRC5 fibroblasts and 72% of NHBE cells). Fibroblasts and smooth muscle cells showed low constitutive COX-2 expression (2 and 8%, respectively) but this was higher in NHBE cells (28%). IL-1beta (24 h incubation) or BK (4 h incubation) had no effect on COX-1 expression in any of the cells studied. In contrast, there was a two- and 1.5-fold rise in the percentage of NHBE cells expressing COX-2; a 7.5- and sixfold rise in the percentage of HASM cells expressing COX-2 and a 33.5- and 20.5-fold increase in the percentage of fibroblasts expressing COX-2 after IL-1beta or BK treatment, respectively. Pretreatment with dexamethasone abolished IL-1beta- and BK-stimulated COX-2 induction in all cells studied. CONCLUSION: COX-1 is expressed constitutively in human airway fibroblasts, smooth muscle and epithelial cells but epithelial cells also show constitutive expression of COX-2. Both IL-1beta and BK induced COX-2 expression in all cells studied and this induction was blocked by dexamethasone. Immunocytochemical techniques can be successfully used to detect the distribution of COX isoforms in cell cultures.     

川芎嗪抑制LPS诱导的人Ⅱ型肺泡上皮细胞炎性反应

目的体外探讨川芎嗪(TMP)对脂多糖(LPS)诱导的人Ⅱ型肺泡上皮细胞(HAECⅡ)炎性反应的保护作用及机制。方法体外培养HAECⅡ(A549细胞来源),LPS刺激建立炎性模型,分别加入TMP和前B细胞克隆增强因子(PBEF)抑制剂FK866进行干预。q-PCR和Western blot检测肿瘤坏死因子α(TNF-α)、白细胞介素-1β(IL-1β)、白细胞介素-8(IL-8)和PBEF的mRNA和蛋白表达;通过Western blot检测细胞核和细胞质内磷酸化P65蛋白来反映核因子κB(NF-κB)的激活。结果 LPS刺激A549细胞后,TNF-α、IL-1β、IL-8和PBEF mRNA及蛋白表达均较对照组明显增高(P0.001),伴随着细胞核和细胞质磷酸化的P65蛋白增高(P0.001);TMP干预后,上述炎性因子mRNA和蛋白表达下降,磷酸化P65蛋白表达降低(P0.05);FK866干预后,TNF-α、IL-1β和IL-8表达以及磷酸化P65蛋白降低(P0.01)。结论 TMP可能通过降低PBEF的表达,从而抑制NF-κB的激活,减轻肺泡上皮细胞炎性反应。     

铜绿假单胞菌活菌对呼吸道上皮细胞表达IL-8的影响

目的:探讨铜绿假单胞菌活菌与人呼吸道上皮细胞的相互关系,细菌对呼吸道上皮炎症反应的影响。方法:采用PAO1及ATCC 27853两株铜绿假单胞菌,在体外与培养的呼吸道上皮细胞株A549及无血清培养的人支气管上皮原代细胞相互作用,收集细胞培养上清,ELISA检测上清IL-8浓度。结果:两株绿脓杆菌均能诱导呼吸道上皮细胞IL-8分泌增加,在细菌刺激下,A549细胞IL-8分泌比对照高出5倍(P<0.05),原代上皮细胞IL-8分泌比对照高出8倍(P<0.05)。结论:铜绿假单胞菌呼吸道感染的过程中,细菌与上皮细胞的直接作用可能是呼吸道炎症反应的重要原因。铜绿假单胞菌刺激上皮细胞炎症的分子机制和信号传导值得进一步探讨。     

血管内皮生长因子及其受体2与被动致敏的人气道平滑肌细胞增殖相关性研究

目的探讨血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）及其受体2（KDR）在被动致敏的人气道平滑肌细胞（ASNC）中表达变化及其对ASMC增殖的影响。方法培养人ASMC，用支气管哮喘病人血清被动致敏ASMC。用免疫组织化学技术检测ASMC增殖细胞核抗原（POJA）的表达，MTT法检测细胞代谢活性及流式细胞仪分析细胞周期；用RT-PCR及Western blot方法分别检测VEGF和KDR mRNA及蛋白质在不同组人ASMC的表达程度。结果（1）被动致敏组ASMC较对照组和干预组增殖显著增加（P〈0．05）。（2）被动致敏组ASMC的VEGF121、VEGF165和VEGF189的mRNA表达分别较对照组和干预组显著增加（P〈0．05或P〈0．01）。（3）被动致敏组ASMCVEGF及KDR蛋白质的表达较对照组和干预组显著增加（P〈0．05）。直线相关性分析显示，ASMC中PCNA表达与ASMC中VEGF121、165、189及KDRmRNA表达水平呈正相关（r分别为0．73、0．82、0．77、0．70，P〈0．05）；ASMC中PCNA表达与ASMC中VEGF及KDR蛋白质表达水平也呈正相关（r分别为0．69、0．67,P〈0．05）。结论被动致敏的ASMC中VEGF及其受体KDR表达上调。并与ASMC增殖密切相关。该结果提示VEGF及其受体2可能参与了哮喘气道重建中ASMC增殖的过程。     

IL-4 induces production of the lung collectin surfactant protein-D

BACKGROUND: Surfactant protein (SP)-D is an epithelial cell product of the distal air spaces that aids uptake and clearance of inhaled pathogens and allergens. Allergic airway inflammation significantly increases SP-D levels in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in asthmatic patients and mouse models, but the mechanisms involved remain unknown. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of the TH2-type cytokine IL-4 on SP-D production by isolated pulmonary epithelial cells. METHODS: Rat type II alveolar epithelial cells were purified and cultured with dexamethasone, cAMP, and isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (DCI). The effects of IL-4 on SP-D expression were investigated at the protein and mRNA levels by means of Western and Northern blot analyses. RESULTS: In contrast to a lamellar body protein ABCA3 and surfactant protein-A, expression of SP-D significantly declined when cells were cultured in medium alone for 24 hours. The presence of DCI in the culture medium restored SP-D levels, which were enhanced by 2-fold after addition of recombinant IL-4. The enhancing effects of IL-4 were concentration-dependent, with maximum effects observed at 20 ng/mL (1.43 nmol/L). IL-4 did not rescue cycloheximide-induced decrease of intracellular SP-D levels and did not inhibit extracellular release of SP-D. However, IL-4 significantly augmented DCI-induced SP-D mRNA expression by approximately 2.5-fold over control levels. CONCLUSIONS: IL-4 selectively upregulates SP-D expression, and it may act at the level of mRNA in isolated pulmonary epithelial cells. Since SP-D has a potent anti-inflammatory function, this mechanism may be part of a negative feedback loop providing a regulatory link between adaptive and innate immunity during allergic inflammation.     

Expression of RANTES in human airway epithelial cells: effect of corticosteroids and interleukin-4, -10 and -13.

RANTES is a C-C chemokine with strong chemoattractant and activating properties for eosinophils, basophils and T lymphocytes. We investigated the expression of RANTES in human airway epithelial cells and its modulation. Epithelial cells obtained from tracheas of donor lungs were stimulated with interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) or with a mixture of the three cytokines ('cytomix'). Levels of mRNA and protein were assayed by Northern blot and radioimmunoassay, respectively. Each individual cytokine produced a small increase in RANTES protein: IL-1 beta 24 +/- 1 pM, TNF-alpha 13 +/- 7 pM and IFN-gamma 29 +/- 7 pM, but cytomix increased protein to 236 +/- 22 pM (P < 0.002) and mRNA expression by > 20-fold (P < 0.002). Both RANTES protein and mRNA expression were inhibited by dexamethasone (10(-6) M) (38 +/- 5%, P < 0.05 and 55 +/- 8%, P < 0.007, respectively), and by IL-4 (42 +/- 7%, P < 0.03 and 19 +/- 1%, not significant, respectively). No inhibitory effect was observed with IL-10 or IL-13. We also demonstrated in vivo expression of RANTES protein by epithelial cells in human airways using immunohistochemistry. Our data show that human airway epithelial cells can be stimulated to express and release RANTES, an effect that is inhibited by corticosteroids and IL-4, but not by IL-10 and IL-13.     

屋尘螨提取物激活气道上皮细胞EphA2-STAT3/p38 MAPK信号通路介导气道炎症

目的 探讨受体酪氨酸激酶肝配蛋白A型受体2(EphA2)对屋尘螨提取物(HDM)诱导气道上皮细胞表达炎症细胞因子的作用及其机制.方法 用EphA2小干扰RNA(siRNA)转染气道上皮细胞株16HBE细胞建立EphA2敲减的细胞模型,HDM刺激16HBE细胞后,采用实时定量PCR检测EphA2、白细胞介素6(IL-6)...     

Pranlukast, a leukotriene receptor antagonist, inhibits interleukin-5 production via a mechanism distinct from leukotriene receptor antagonism

BACKGROUND: Pranlukast, a cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1 (CysLTR1) antagonist, inhibits not only airway smooth muscle contraction, but also allergic inflammation. The aim of this study was to determine the mechanism of pranlukast-induced interleukin-5 (IL-5) inhibition in allergic inflammation. METHODS: Surgically resected human lung tissue was passively sensitized in vitro with mite-allergen-sensitized sera, followed by stimulation with mite allergen after pretreatment of the tissue with pranlukast, dexamethasone, or both. The IL-5 protein level in the culture medium was measured, and in situ hybridization of IL-5 and CysLTR1 mRNA was performed using lung tissues. RESULTS: Pretreatment of lung tissues with pranlukast alone significantly decreased the amount of IL-5 protein in the culture medium by 40%. The combination of pranlukast and dexamethasone synergistically enhanced this effect. Quantitative in situ hybridization with image analysis revealed abundant expression of IL-5 mRNA in eosinophils, lymphocytes, and mast cells in sensitized and allergen-stimulated lung tissues. CysLTR1 mRNA was detected in macrophages, smooth muscle cells, eosinophils, and mast cells, but was less expressed in lymphocytes. Pranlukast-induced inhibition of IL-5 mRNA expression was noted in various cells, irrespective of their CysLTR1 mRNA expression status. In addition, cysteinyl leukotrienes per se failed to upregulate the IL-5 production. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that pranlukast inhibits IL-5 synthesis via a mechanism distinct from CysLTR1 antagonism.     

Monocyte chemoattractant protein 1, interleukin 8, and chronic airways inflammation in COPD

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the most common causes of death, with cigarette smoking among the main risk factors. Hallmarks of COPD include chronic airflow obstruction and chronic inflammation in the airway walls or alveolar septa. An earlier study reported elevated numbers of macrophages and mast cells within the bronchiolar epithelium in smokers with COPD, compared with smokers without. Since specific chemokines may be involved in this influx, the in situ protein and mRNA expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) and of interleukin 8 (IL-8) were studied in tumour-free peripheral lung tissue resected for lung cancer of current or ex-smokers with COPD (FEV(1)<75%; n=14) and without COPD (FEV(1)>84; n=14). MCP-1 was expressed by macrophages, T cells, and endothelial and epithelial cells. Its receptor, CCR2, is expressed by macrophages, mast cells, and epithelial cells. IL-8 was found in neutrophils, epithelial cells, and macrophages. In subjects with COPD, semi-quantitative analysis revealed 1.5-fold higher levels of MCP-1 mRNA and IL-8 mRNA and protein in bronchiolar epithelium (p<0.01) and 1.4-fold higher levels of CCR2 in macrophages (p=0.014) than in subjects without COPD. The bronchiolar epithelial MCP-1 mRNA expression correlated with both CCR2 expression on macrophages and mast cells (p<0.05) and the numbers of intra-epithelial macrophages and mast cells (p<0.04). The epithelial IL-8 expression did not correlate with the numbers of neutrophils, macrophages, CD45RO+, CD8+, or mast cells. These data suggest that MCP-1 and CCR2 are involved in the recruitment of macrophages and mast cells into the airway epithelium in COPD.     

Grain dust induces IL-8 production from bronchial epithelial cells: the effect of dexamethasone on IL-8 production.

BACKGROUND: Recent publications have suggested an active participation of neutrophils to induce bronchoconstriction after inhalation of grain dust (GD). OBJECTIVE: To further understand the role of neutrophils in the pathogenesis of GD-induced asthma, this investigation was designed to determine whether human bronchial epithelial cells could produce IL-8 production and to observe the effect of dexamethasone on IL-8 production. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We cultured Beas-2B, a bronchial epithelial cell line. To observe GD-induced responses, four concentrations (1 to 200 microg/mL) of GD were incubated for 24 hours and compared with those without incubation of GD. To evaluate the effect of pro-inflammatory cytokines on IL-8 production, epithelial cells were incubated with peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) culture supernatant, which was derived from the culture of PBMC from a GD-induced asthmatic subject under the exposure to 10 microg/mL of GD, and compared with those cultured without addition of PBMC supernatant. The level of released IL-8 in the supernatant was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. To evaluate the effect of dexamethasone on IL-8 production, four concentrations (5 to 5000 ng/mL) of dexamethasone were pre-incubated for 24 hours and the same experiments were repeated. RESULTS: There was significant production of IL-8 from bronchial epithelial cells with additions of GD in a dose-dependent manner (P < .05), which was significantly augmented with additions of PBMC supernatant (P < .05) at each concentration. Compared with the untreated sample, pretreatment of dexamethasone could induced a remarkable inhibitions (15% to 55%) of IL-8 production from bronchial epithelial cells in a dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that IL-8 production from bronchial epithelial cells may contribute to neutrophil recruitment occurring in GD-induced airway inflammation. The downregulation of IL-8 production by dexamethasone from bronchial epithelial cells may contribute to the efficacy of this compound in reducing cellular infiltration and ultimately to its anti-inflammatory property.     

同型半胱氨酸对大鼠血管平滑肌细胞分泌和表达IL-6的影响

目的:探讨同型半胱氨酸(Hcy)对大鼠血管平滑肌细胞(VSMCs)分泌和表达促炎性细胞因子白细胞介素-6(IL-6)的影响。方法:在大鼠主动脉平滑肌细胞培养基中加入不同浓度的Hcy, 并孵育不同时间。用ELISA法检测培养上清IL-6蛋白含量, 用半定量RT-PCR法检测IL-6mRNA表达。结果:0.25mmol/LHcy干预后, IL-6在6h开始高于对照组; 4.达峰值, 48h仍较对照组高;并且在一定的浓度范围内, Hcy呈剂量依赖性刺激VSMCs产生IL-6, 01mmol/L及0.25mmol/LHcy分别使IL-6产量较对照增多1.4和3.4倍。RT-PCR结果显示Hcy能刺激IL-6mRNA表达, 也呈剂量和时间依赖关系。结论:Hcy能促进VSMCs产生和表达IL-6、激活血管壁炎症反应, 这可能为其诱导动脉粥样硬化的重要机制之一。