Dihydrofluorescein diacetate is superior for detecting intracellular oxidants: comparison with 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate, 5(and 6)-carboxy-2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate, and dihydrorhodamine 123.

To detect intracellular oxidant formation during reoxygenation of anoxic endothelium, the oxidant-sensing fluorescent probes, 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate, dihydrorhodamine 123, or 5(and 6)-carboxy-2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate were added to human umbilical vein endothelial cells during reoxygenation. None of these fluorescent probes were able to differentiate the controls from the reoxygenated cells in the confocal microscope. However, dihydrofluorescein diacetate demonstrated fluorescence of linear structures, consistent with mitochondria, in reoxygenated endothelium. This work tests the hypothesis that dihydrofluorescein diacetate is a better fluorescent probe for detecting intracellular oxidants because it is more reactive toward specific oxidizing species. To investigate this, dihydrofluorescein diacetate was exposed to various oxidizing species (hydrogen peroxide, superoxide [KO2], peroxynitrite, nitric oxide, horseradish peroxidase, ferric iron, xanthine oxidase, cytochrome c, and lipoxygenase) and compared with the three other popular probes. Though oxidized dihydrofluorescein has higher molar fluorescence, comparison of the reactions of dihydrofluorescein with these other three probes in a cell-free system indicates that dihydrofluorescein is sometimes less fluorescent than the other probes. In addition, we find that the reactivity of all of the probes is very complex. Based on the results reported here, it is no longer appropriate to think of these probes as detecting a specific oxidizing species in cells, such as H2O2, but rather as detectors of a broad range of oxidizing reactions that may be increased during intracellular oxidant stress. Cell-loading studies indicate that dihydrofluorescein achieves higher intracellular concentrations than the second brightest intracellular probe, 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein. This fact and its higher molar fluorescence may account for the superior brightness of dihydrofluorescein diacetate. Dihydrofluorescein diacetate may be a superior fluorescent probe for many cell-based studies.

Ibuprofen protects human endothelial cell prostaglandin H synthase from hydrogen peroxide.

Human endothelial cells exposed to H2O2 demonstrate decreased prostacyclin (PGI2) synthesis due to decreased prostaglandin H synthase (PGH synthase) activity. We tested the hypothesis that PGH synthase activity could be protected from H2O2 by a reversible nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug. Experiments demonstrate that ibuprofen if present during H2O2 exposure, protects endothelial cell PGH synthase against the decrease in prostaglandin formation caused by H2O2. Additional studies demonstrated that decreasing arachidonic acid release from cell phospholipids during H2O2 exposure did not protect PGI2 synthesis following H2O2 exposure. In other experiments, ibuprofen did not chelate Fe2+ in a conformation that inhibited the reactivity of Fe2+. In addition, ibuprofen did not scavenge HO. However, we demonstrate that ibuprofen significantly protects purified PGH synthase cyclooxygenase activity from the effects of H2O2. The results confirm the hypothesis. These findings suggest that ibuprofen displaces oxidant species from the cyclooxygenase site of PGH synthase, thereby preventing oxidation of the functional groups important for PGH synthase activity.

Chest pain in an aspirin-sensitive asthmatic patient. Eosinophilic esophagitis causing esophageal dysmotility.

We describe a case of eosinophilic esophagitis in a 38-year-old man with aspirin-sensitivity asthma which presented as noncardiac chest pain. Manometric measurements demonstrated tertiary contractions. Biopsies showed a dense eosinophilic infiltrate in the mucosa. There was no response to therapy for reflux. Symptoms quickly resolved with corticosteroid therapy. Subsequent manometric values recorded after corticosteroid therapy showed resolution of the dysmotility. Biopsies showed normal mucosa. Adult asthmatic subjects with noncardiac chest pain should receive further investigation if reflux therapy fails to resolve the symptoms.

Extracellular iron (II) can protect cells from hydrogen peroxide.

We hypothesized that exposure of cells to H2O2 plus Fe2+ would increase formation of cell-derived lipid peroxides that would inactivate prostaglandin H synthase, resulting in decreased prostaglandin synthesis. Therefore, we treated human endothelial cells with 0-100 microM H2O2 followed immediately by addition of 0-200 microM Fe2+. After oxidant exposure, cells were stimulated with 20 microM arachidonic acid to induce prostaglandin I2 (PGI2) synthesis. Adding 100 microM H2O2 prior to arachidonic acid decreased PGI2 synthesis more than 80%. However, to our surprise, the addition of Fe2+, in increasing amounts, progressively protected PGI2 synthesis against the harmful effects of H2O2. A ratio of one part H2O2 to two parts Fe2+ offered almost complete protection, whereas Fe3+ did not protect PGI2 synthesis from H2O2. We found that 100 microM H2O2 was not cytolytic; however, 250 microM H2O2 was cytolytic; Fe2+ protected against this cytotoxicity. In addition, extracellular Fe2+ prevented the rise in intracellular calcium caused by H2O2 and extracellular Fe2+ preserved intracellular glutathione in H2O2-exposed cells. Electron paramagnetic resonance spin trapping demonstrated that extracellular Fe2+ generated the hydroxyl free radical, HO. outside the cell. We speculate that extracellular Fe2+ protects the intracellular space from H2O2 by initiating the Fenton reaction outside the cell. This reductive cleavage of H2O2 generates HO. in the extracellular space, where much of the HO. will react with noncellular components, thereby protecting the cell interior.

Effect of hypoxia on release of IL-1 and TNF by human alveolar macrophages.

Our previous work demonstrated that hypoxia decreases transcription of the human prostaglandin H synthase-2 (PGHS-2) gene during exposure to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), resulting in decreased prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) synthesis (J. Biol. Chem. 269:32979-32984, 1994). Because PGE2 is reported to inhibit interleukin 1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF), it is likely that hypoxia, through changes in PGE2, will alter IL-1 and TNF release from the human alveolar macrophage. In addition, like PGHS-2, the TNF and IL-1 promoters contain oxidant-sensitive elements which might be altered by hypoxia. Therefore, we hypothesized that LPS-induced release of TNF and IL-1 would be altered by hypoxia. To test this, human alveolar macrophages were cultured for 24 h with 0 to 1 microgram/ml LPS in a room-air incubator with 5% CO2 or a hypoxia incubator continuously perfused with 5% CO2/95% N2 (O2 < 0.05%). With room air, LPS increased IL-1 beta mRNA and increased IL-1 beta protein release into the culture medium in a dose-dependent manner. Hypoxia increased the LPS-stimulated release of IL-1 beta 30% above that of room-air controls. However, immunoblots showed that hypoxia caused no change in intracellular IL-1 beta compared with room-air controls. There was also no change in LPS-induced IL-1 beta message with hypoxia. The inhibitor of IL-1, IL-1RA, was apparently decreased by hypoxia, but this decrease was not statistically significant. TNF-alpha mRNA and release of protein also increased during LPS exposure in room air. Hypoxia markedly increased LPS-induced TNF-alpha message and release of TNF-alpha compared with LPS-exposed room-air controls. Consistent with our prior observations, hypoxia decreased LPS-induced PGHS-2 message and protein, and also the PGHS-2 product, PGE2. Because PGE2 is reported to inhibit the expression of IL-1 and TNF genes, we inhibited PGE2 synthesis with indomethacin during culture in room air; the result was an increase in the release of IL-1 and TNF. In additional studies, adding PGE2 inhibited TNF release from the hypoxia cells to values near those of room-air controls. In summary, hypoxia increases the release of the cytokines IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha. This increase may be due to decreased PGE2 synthesis during hypoxia. These results demonstrate that the response of the human alveolar macrophage to hypoxia is complex. Hypoxia increases the LPS-stimulated release of the inflammatory cytokines IL-1 and TNF, whereas synthesis of PGHS-2, which generates the anti-inflammatory prostaglandin PGE2 is decreased.

Interleukin-4 inhibits lipopolysaccharide-induced expression of prostaglandin H synthase-2 in human alveolar macrophages.

Several studies have shown that interleukin-4 (IL-4) down-regulates synthesis of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). We evaluated the mechanisms for this suppression in human alveolar macrophages (HAMs). Normal HAMs were obtained from healthy nonsmoking volunteers. The cells either remained unstimulated, or were exposed to 10 micrograms/ml of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and/or various amounts of IL-4. LPS alone induced the synthesis of large amounts of PGE2 and prostaglandin H synthase-2 (PGHS-2) protein. This effect of LPS was suppressed by increasing amounts of IL-4. Expression of LPS-induced PGHS-2 mRNA was also inhibited by IL-4. In addition, IL-4 inhibited expression of CD14, which is a receptor for LPS bound to the LPS-binding protein (LBP). We conclude that IL-4 down-regulates LPS-induced release of PGE2, by reducing expression of the enzyme, PGHS-2. One potential mechanism for this effect of IL-4 is a reduced expression of CD14, which is the LPS-LBP receptor.

Synthesis of prostaglandin H synthase-2 by human alveolar macrophages in response to lipopolysaccharide is inhibited by decreased cell oxidant tone.

We previously demonstrated that lipopolysaccharide (LPS) increases expression of the prostaglandin H synthase-2 (PGHS-2) gene (Hempel, S.L., Monick, M.M., and Hunninghake, G.W. (1994) J. Clin. Invest. 93, 391-396). In this study, the expression of the PGHS-2 gene in response to changes in cell oxidant tone was studied. During LPS exposure, inhibition of synthesis of the free radical, NO., resulted in a small decrease in prostaglandin E2 synthesis that did not reach statistical significance. There was no effect on enzyme mass or mRNA. In contrast, incubation of alveolar macrophages in the presence of LPS plus the antioxidant pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate, the spin trap 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide, or hypoxia, resulted in near complete inhibition of prostaglandin E2 synthesis, PGHS-2 enzyme synthesis, and gene transcription of PGHS-2 mRNA. There was no evidence of cytotoxicity. These results demonstrate that synthesis of PGHS-2 in response to LPS is inhibited by agents that decrease cell oxidant tone.

Prostaglandin E2 synthesis after oxidant stress is dependent on cell glutathione content.

The role of glutathione in protecting prostaglandin (PG) generation after exposure of fibroblasts to oxidant stress was investigated. Exposure of 3T3 fibroblasts to H2O2, followed by washing and then 20 microM arachidonic acid, caused a dose-dependent decrease in PG synthesis as assessed by radioimmunoassay. PGE2 production decreased from 3.7 +/- 1.1 to 0.15 +/- 0.04 pmol/microgram protein, and prostacyclin (PGI2) formation decreased from 0.56 +/- 0.03 to 0.06 +/- 0.03 pmol/microgram protein after exposure to 200 microM H2O2. Decreasing intracellular glutathione with 50 micrograms/ml 1,3-bis(chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU) enhanced the H2O2-induced decrease in PGE2 synthesis. Another glutathione-depleting agent, 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB), also potentiated the H2O2-induced decrease in PGE2 formation. However, although PGI2 production was decreased by H2O2, neither BCNU nor CDNB potentiated this decrease. Without oxidant stress, extreme glutathione depletion decreased PGE2 synthesis and caused PGI2 synthesis to exceed PGE2. In summary, oxidant stress decreases both PGE2 and PGI2 formation. However, the primary effect of decreasing cell glutathione during oxidant stress is a reduction in PGE2 formation, not PGI2. This implies that the predominant effect of glutathione depletion during oxidant stress is on the PGE2 isomerase(s) and not PGH synthase or PGI2 synthase.

Lipopolysaccharide induces prostaglandin H synthase-2 protein and mRNA in human alveolar macrophages and blood monocytes.

We and others have previously demonstrated that human alveolar macrophages produce more PGE2 in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) than do blood monocytes. We hypothesized that this observation was due to a greater increase in prostaglandin H synthase-2 (PGHS-2) enzyme mass in the macrophage compared to the monocyte. To evaluate this hypothesis, alveolar macrophages and blood monocytes were obtained from healthy nonsmoking volunteers. The cells were cultured in the presence of 0 to 10 micrograms/ml LPS. LPS induced the synthesis of large amounts of a new 75-kD protein in human alveolar macrophages, and a lesser amount in monocytes. Synthesis of this protein required more than 6 h and peaked in 24 to 48 h; the protein reacted with an anti-PGHS-2 antibody prepared against mouse PGHS-2. Associated with synthesis of the protein was a marked increase in LPS-stimulated and arachidonic acid-stimulated synthesis of PGE2 by alveolar macrophages compared to monocytes. Cells not exposed to LPS contained only PGHS-1 and synthesized very little PGE2 during culture or in response to exogenous arachidonic acid. An LPS-induced mRNA, which hybridized to a human cDNA probe for PGHS-2 mRNA, was produced in parallel with production of this new protein and was produced in much greater amounts by alveolar macrophages compared to blood monocytes. This mRNA was not detectable in cells not exposed to LPS. In contrast, both types of cells contain mRNA, which hybridizes to a cDNA probe for PGHS-1. This mRNA did not increase in response to LPS. LPS also had no effect on PGHS-1 protein. These data demonstrate that PGE2 synthesis in human alveolar macrophages and blood monocytes correlates to the mass of PGHS-2 in the cell. We conclude that the greater ability of the macrophage to synthesize PGE2 in response to LPS is due to greater synthesis of PGHS-2 by the macrophage.

Effect of glutathione on endothelial prostacyclin synthesis after anoxia.

We previously observed decreased prostacyclin (PGI2) formation after reoxygenation of anoxic endothelium. In the present study, the effects of glutathione on endothelial prostaglandin (PG) H synthase activity after reoxygenation were explored. Intracellular glutathione content decreased 70% after 24 h of anoxia; reoxygenation did not produce any additional decrease in glutathione content. Intracellular glutathione was maintained in the reduced state by the endothelium even during the oxidant stress caused by reoxygenation or the addition of peroxide. Glutathione depletion produced by DL-buthionine-(S,R)-sulfoximine (BSO), 1,3-bis(chloroethyl)1-nitrosourea (BCNU), or incubation in a sulfhydryl-free medium resulted in increased sensitivity of PGH synthase to the effects of added H2O2. However, glutathione depletion resulting from BSO or culture in sulfhydryl-free medium during anoxia did not increase the sensitivity of PGH synthase to reoxygenation. In addition, anoxia did not make the endothelium more sensitive to H2O2. Glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase activities were preserved after anoxia-reoxygenation. When glutathione reductase was inhibited with BCNU during reoxygenation, PGI2 release was decreased further. These findings demonstrate that, although anoxia decreases endothelial glutathione content, the endothelium is able to utilize its remaining glutathione to protect against additional oxidant stress because glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase retain their activity.

Reduced prostacyclin formation after reoxygenation of anoxic endothelium.

Human umbilical vein endothelial cells subjected to 24 h of anoxia followed by reoxygenation released less prostacyclin (PGI2) in response to thrombin, calcium ionophore A23187, or arachidonic acid. This was associated with a substantial increase in stimulated platelet adherence. Increased lactate dehydrogenase and 51Cr release occurred after 1 h of reoxygenation, but the high rate of release did not persist during the subsequent 23 h of reoxygenation. The changes in platelet adherence and PGI2 release partially resolved over 24 h. PGI2 formation from prostaglandin H2 was not reduced, suggesting that cyclooxygenase activity, but not prostacyclin synthase, is affected by reoxygenation. A decrease in arachidonic acid release from cellular lipids also occurred. The reduction in cyclooxygenase activity, but not arachidonic acid release, was prevented by the presence of ibuprofen during reoxygenation. Addition of catalase or superoxide dismutase during reoxygenation increased PGI2 release but did not completely overcome the reduction relative to control cultures. These findings suggest that the increase in platelet adherence during reoxygenation may be mediated in part by a change in cyclooxygenase activity. This is only partly overcome by extracellular oxygen species scavengers but is prevented by the presence of a reversible cyclooxygenase inhibitor during reoxygenation.

Tannin mediated alveolar macrophage protein phosphorylation.

Experiments were designed to determine if cotton bract tannin, a component of cotton mill dust, would promote the phosphorylation of alveolar macrophage proteins in doses potentially achievable in vivo. Rabbit alveolar macrophages were loaded with 32PO4 and challenged with various doses of tannin for time periods ranging from two seconds to 120 minutes. Changes in protein phosphorylation began after two seconds and were maximal at five to fifteen minutes. Dose response studies using an exposure time of one hour showed phosphorylation changes began at 1 micrograms/mL and were maximal at 10 to 30 micrograms/mL. Phosphorylation changes were similar to but not identical to those induced by the protein kinase C activator, phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). Calcium ionophore, A-23187 had no clear effect either alone or in conjunction with PMA. These results indicate that cotton bract tannin is able to rapidly promote protein phosphorylation of alveolar macrophages at doses potentially achievable in vivo. Other mechanisms in addition to those of protein kinase C appear to be involved in this protein phosphorylation process.

Evaluation of the contribution of tannin to the acute pulmonary inflammatory response against inhaled cotton mill dust.

Anesthetized, intubated, and mechanically ventilated rabbits were exposed to aerosolized saline, cotton dust extract (CDE), or tannin for 5 minutes and lavaged 4 hours after exposure. Cell numbers and types present in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were determined and the concentrations of thromboxane A2 (TxA2) and prostaglandin F2-alpha (PGF2-alpha) in the BALF were also analyzed. The saline control animals had increased numbers and percentage of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) in the BALF as well as increased levels of TxB2 and PGF2-alpha compared with unexposed animals. Exposure to CDE further increased the number and percentage of PMN and the level of PGF2-alpha but had no effect on TxA2 levels when compared with control animals. Tannin exposure increased PGF2-alpha levels to the same extent as CDE exposure. PMN also increased but to a lesser extent than with CDE. These results indicate that the inflammatory response to CDE is only partially due to the tannin present in CDE.

Protein phosphorylation during tannin-mediated activation of human platelets.

Experiments to explore human platelet protein phosphorylation changes and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) secretion after challenge with cotton bract tannin were performed. Quantitative changes in sodium phosphate phosphorus 32 incorporation in two platelet proteins of 19 kilodaltons (kd) and 47 kd were assessed by measuring protein band densities on autoradiographs of dried polyacrylamide gels. Secretion of 5-HT was assessed by 14C-5-HT release. Results show that tannin causes increases in phosphorylation of discrete platelet proteins that begin in less than 2 seconds. These increases are maximal in 1 minute for the 47 kd protein and in 3 minutes for the 19 kd protein. Fifty percent of maximum response required less than 2 seconds for both of these proteins, and 50% of maximum 5-HT secretion required 48 seconds. Dose-response studies comparing 0 to 50 micrograms/ml tannin with 0 to 1 U/ml human alpha-thrombin showed that tannin caused 5-HT secretion and protein phosphorylation changes that were very similar to those induced by human alpha-thrombin. Fifty micrograms per milliliter of tannin caused increases in 19 kd protein phosphorylation and 47 kd protein phosphorylation to 312% +/- 34% (SEM) and 204% +/- 13% of control, respectively (n = 14). One unit per milliliter of thrombin induced changes of 350% +/- 40% and 221% +/- 17% of control in the 19 kd and 47 kd proteins, respectively. Release of 5-HT by tannin and thrombin was 61% +/- 3% and 69% +/- 3% of total cellular 5-HT, respectively. Indomethacin had little inhibitory effect on activation by these two different agents.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)