title: Polymorphonuclear leukocytes as a significant source of tumor necrosis factor-alpha in endotoxin-challenged lung tissue.
abstract: The kinetic expression and potential cellular source of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in lipopolysaccharide-(LPS) induced acute lung inflammation was investigated using a rat model by Northern blot analysis, in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. LPS induced a polymorphonuclear leukocyte infiltrate in the lung that peaked between 6 and 24 hours. TNF-alpha messenger (m)RNA was strongly induced by LPS in whole lung tissues shown by Northern analysis. Both alveolar macrophages and polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs), purified from bronchoalveolar lavage fluids of LPS-treated rats, were shown to express TNF-alpha mRNA by Northern analysis. However, PMNs displayed several times more TNF-alpha mRNA, relative to actin mRNA, than alveolar macrophages at 6 and 12 hours. By in situ hybridization, most of the cells positive for TNF-alpha mRNA at 6 and 12 hours seemed to be PMNs located within the tissue near bronchioles or vessels. By immunohistochemistry, TNF-alpha protein was localized mainly to alveolar macrophages at early times (1 to 3 hours) after LPS challenge, and thereafter, PMNs seemed to be the predominant source of TNF-alpha protein as more than 90% of total intraalveolar positive cells at 6 and 12 hours were PMN. Thus, our data provide the first in vivo evidence that PMNs can serve as a significant source of TNF-alpha at sites of acute inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Chedoke-McMaster Medical Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xing
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kirpalani
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Torry
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jordana
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gauldie
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002465:Cell Movement; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008168:Lung / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004731:Endotoxins; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha