title: Interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha) production by alveolar macrophages in patients with acute lung diseases: the influence of zinc supplementation.
abstract: The relationship between zinc treatment and interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha) production by cultured alveolar macrophages (AM) in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and bacterial pneumonia was investigated. AM (1 x 10(6) cells/ml) from 6 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, 7 patients with bacterial pneumonia and 4 healthy volunteers were cultured with either two different concentrations of zinc chloride (Znl = 1 microgram/ml and Zn2 = 5 micrograms/ml) or cell culture media alone (control) for an initial period of 6 hours and then stimulated with 3 different immunomodulator agents and reincubated for a further 24 h. IL-1 alpha in culture supernatants was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In the absence of Znl or Zn2 Polyinosinic:Polycytidylic acid (Poly I:C 1 microgram/ml), Lipopolysaccharide (LPS 100 ng/ml) and Tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha 10 ng/ml) significantly increased the production of IL-1 alpha from AM in both patients and healthy subjects (p < 0.001) compared to control (media only). Zn1 and Zn2 significantly increased the production of IL-1 alpha (p < 0.001) in culture supernatants in the absence of either Poly I:C, LPS or TNF-alpha in patients but not in healthy group. In contrast, the presence of LPS or TNF-alpha significantly reduced Zn1 or Zn2-stimulated release of IL-1 alpha from AM in patients and healthy subjects (p < 0.01). However, Poly I:C decreased only Zn1-stimulated release of IL-1 alpha. These results suggest that zinc can regulate the production of IL-1 alpha from AM in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis or bacterial pneumonia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University.
authors.forename: H T
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Abul
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Abul
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: al-Athary
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Behbehani
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Khadadah
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Dashti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D016676:Macrophages, Alveolar / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008875:Middle Aged; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D011070:Poly I-C / Q000494:pharmacology; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology; D015032:Zinc / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D007375:Interleukin-1; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D008668:Metallothionein; D015032:Zinc; D015232:Dinoprostone; D011070:Poly I-C