title: Role of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase in a murine model of pulmonary inflammation.
abstract: Early inflammatory events include cytokine release, activation, and rapid accumulation of neutrophils, with subsequent recruitment of mononuclear cells. The p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) intracellular signaling pathway plays a central role in regulating a wide range of inflammatory responses in many different cells. A murine model of mild LPS-induced lung inflammation was developed to investigate the role of the p38 MAPK pathway in the initiation of pulmonary inflammation. A novel p38 MAPK inhibitor, M39, was used to determine the functional consequences of p38 MAPK activation. In vitro exposure to M39 inhibited p38 MAPK activity in LPS-stimulated murine and human neutrophils and macrophages, blocked TNF-alpha and macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2) release, and eliminated migration of murine neutrophils toward the chemokines MIP-2 and KC. In contrast, alveolar macrophages required a 1000-fold greater concentration of M39 to block release of TNF-alpha and MIP-2. Systemic inhibition of p38 MAPK resulted in significant decreases in the release of TNF-alpha and neutrophil accumulation in the airspaces following intratracheal administration of LPS. Recovery of MIP-2 and KC from the airspaces was not affected by inhibition of p38 MAPK, and accumulation of mononuclear cells was not significantly reduced. When KC was instilled as a proinflammatory stimulus, neutrophil accumulation was significantly decreased by p38 MAPK inhibition independent of TNF-alpha or LPS. Together, these results demonstrate a much greater dependence on the p38 MAPK cascade in the neutrophil when compared with other leukocytes, and suggest a means of selectively studying and potentially modulating early inflammation in the lung.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, National Jewish Medical and Research Center, Denver, CO 80206, USA. nickj@njc.org
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Nick
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: K K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Avdi
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Arndt
authors.forename: B T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Suratt
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Janes
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Henson
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Worthen
mesh_terms: D000631:Aminopyridines / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000276:immunology; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*; D002634:Chemotaxis, Leukocyte / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D007249:Inflammation / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D008168:Lung / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology*; D016676:Macrophages, Alveolar / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D009240:N-Formylmethionine Leucyl-Phenylalanine / Q000494:pharmacology; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
chemical_list: C119801:5-(2-(1-phenylethylamino)pyridin-4-yl)-1-methyl-4-(3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-2-(4-piperidinyl)imidazole; D000631:Aminopyridines; D016207:Cytokines; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D007093:Imidazoles; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D009240:N-Formylmethionine Leucyl-Phenylalanine; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases