title: Theophylline infusion modulates prostaglandin and leukotriene production in man.
abstract: Although theophylline has been used in the treatment of asthma for decades, it is not a first line choice any more. It is a well-known bronchodilator, but was recently discovered also to be an anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and bronchoprotective agent. Therefore we wanted to establish the role of theophylline on prostaglandin and leukotriene production, which plays a part in the pathogenesis of asthma. Theophylline was infused (bolus 5 mg/kg in 15 min and infusion 0.4 mg/kg/h for 1 h 45 min) into healthy volunteers. Thromboxane B2, prostaglandin E2 and leukotriene E4 were measured from the A23187-stimulated whole blood samples and stable metabolites of thromboxane A2; prostacyclin and leukotriene E4 were measured from urine. Theophylline increased prostaglandin E2 production and decreased leukotriene E4 production ex vivo in whole blood, thus increasing the prostanoid/leukotriene ratio. It did not change thromboxane B2 production stimulated by either spontaneous clotting or A23187 in the whole blood. Theophylline had hardly any effect on in vivo thromboxane, prostacyclin and leukotriene E4 production measured as urinary metabolites, 11-dehydro-thromboxane B2, 2,3-dinor-6-keto-prostaglandin F1alpha and leukotriene E4, respectively. Serum theophylline concentrations were at the lower level of normal therapeutic range during the infusion. The increase in PGE2 and the decrease in LTE4 synthesis ex vivo may offer a new explanation for the mode of antiasthmatic action of theophylline. It is notable that this phenomenon occurs at low serum theophylline concentrations. These results confirm the idea that theophylline has an anti-inflammatory and bronchoprotective action and support the use of theophylline as a therapeutic agent in asthmatic patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Chemistry, Tampere University Hospital, Finland.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kerttula
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaukinen
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Seppälä
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Riutta
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mucha
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ylitalo
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alanko
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000001:Calcimycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000378:metabolism; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D017999:Leukotriene E4 / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine; D015289:Leukotrienes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D011453:Prostaglandins / Q000378:metabolism*; D013806:Theophylline / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013929:Thromboxane B2 / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D015289:Leukotrienes; D011453:Prostaglandins; D000001:Calcimycin; D013929:Thromboxane B2; C049235:11-dehydro-thromboxane B2; D017999:Leukotriene E4; D013806:Theophylline; D015232:Dinoprostone