title: Influence of Pneumocystis carinii on nitrite production by rat alveolar macrophages.
abstract: Nitrite production by rat alveolar macrophages was studied to determine the role of L-arginine oxidation in the interaction between these cells and Pneumocystis carinii. Alveolar macrophages from rats obtained from two different breeders were used: rats from Janvier breeder had latent P. carinii infection, while those from Charles River breeder were bred in a germ-free environment. Pneumocystis carinii increased in vitro nitrite generation by unstimulated alveolar macrophages from Janvier rats only, and this was blocked by NG-monomethyl-L-arginine. Incubation of cells from Janvier and Charles River rats with lipopolysaccharide and/or interferon-gamma increased nitrite production to a similar extent. Pneumocystis carinii partially decreased nitrite release by activated alveolar macrophages, and this was still inhibited by NG-monomethyl-L-arginine. In the presence of P. carinii, superoxide dismutase used as a superoxide anion scavenger had no effect on nitrite production by activated cells. These results show that prior exposure to P. carinii leads to nitric oxide production by rat alveolar macrophages. Although the magnitude of this production seems to be moderate, it is of biological significance since cells of P. carinii-naive rats do not generate nitrite whereas those of latently infected rats do.
authors.affiliation: Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale Unité 13, Hôpital Bichat-Claude Bernard, Paris, France.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Simonpoli
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rajagopalan-Levasseur
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brun-Pascaud
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bertrand
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Pocidalo
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Girard
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D016676:Macrophages, Alveolar / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D009573:Nitrites / Q000378:metabolism*; D011010:Pneumocystis / Q000276:immunology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D016898:Interferon-alpha; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D009573:Nitrites; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase