title: Alteration of the cytokine phenotype in an experimental lung granuloma model by inhibiting nitric oxide.
abstract: Pulmonary granulomatous inflammation modulated by IFN-gamma and IL-12 is also associated with augmented inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS II). To address the role of increased nitric oxide synthesis in this model, mice received daily i.p. injections of NG-nitro-L-arginine-methyl ester (L-NAME; 8 mg/kg) during both the 2-wk immunization period with purified protein-derivative (PPD) and the subsequent lung challenge with PPD-coated Sepharose beads. Other groups of animals received saline, L-NAME or NG-nitro-D-arginine-methyl ester (D-NAME; 8 mg/kg) during the pulmonary embolization period and not the PPD sensitization period. On day 4 post-PPD bead challenge, PCR analysis of the whole lung revealed that NOS II expression appeared to be similar in both of the L-NAME treatment protocols. L-NAME-treated mice in both dosing protocols had lung lesions that were significantly larger than granuloma lesions measured in mice that received saline or D-NAME. The enlarged lesions from L-NAME-treated mice contained markedly greater numbers of neutrophils and eosinophils. Equivalent numbers of PPD-activated dispersed cells from whole lungs of L-NAME-treated mice produced significantly higher levels of IL-4 and IL-10 and smaller amounts of IL-12 and IFN-gamma compared with similar lung cultures derived from control or D-NAME-treated mice. Levels of C-C chemokines such as monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), C10, and macrophage inflammatory protein-1alpha (MIP-1alpha) were also significantly elevated in lung cultures from L-NAME-treated mice compared with controls. Thus, nitric oxide regulates the size and cellular composition of the Th1-type lung granuloma, possibly through its effects on the cytokine and chemokine profile associated with this lesion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor 48109-0602, USA.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Hogaboam
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Chensue
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Steinhauser
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Huffnagle
authors.forename: N W
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Lukacs
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Strieter
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Kunkel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D015769:Granuloma, Respiratory Tract / Q000276:immunology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000378:metabolism; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000378:metabolism; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000201:enzymology; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D018417:Th1 Cells; D014373:Tuberculin / Q000494:pharmacology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D014373:Tuberculin; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10; D018664:Interleukin-12; D015847:Interleukin-4; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; C496317:Nos2 protein, mouse; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester