Regulation of nitric oxide release by macrophages after intratracheal lipopolysaccharide

American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology
J E ShellitoW R Summer

Abstract

We investigated the effect of intratracheal (i.t.) lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on alveolar macrophage release of nitric oxide. Mice received i.t. LPS at doses ranging from 1 to 100 micrograms/100 g body weight and were killed at serial intervals for bronchoalveolar lavage. Control mice received i.t. phosphate-buffered saline. We found that after i.t. LPS, there was an early (1 to 3 days) influx of neutrophils followed by a later (5 to 7 days) influx of macrophages into the lungs. Alveolar macrophages lavaged from mice given i.t. LPS did not spontaneously release nitric oxide (measured as nitrite), but the capacity of these cells to release nitric oxide in vitro in response to interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) or LPS was markedly upregulated. Alveolar macrophages lavaged from mice given i.t. LPS but not i.t. phosphate-buffered saline also expressed mRNA for inducible nitric oxide synthase as measured by semiquantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. To investigate possible mechanisms for cellular priming for increased nitric oxide release after i.t. LPS, mice were depleted of CD4+ lymphocytes with an anti-CD4 antibody. Alveolar macrophages from CD4-depleted mice given i.t. LPS released significantly less nitric oxide ...Continue Reading

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