Prostaglandin D2 Generation Research Articles

Protoporphyrin and Long-Wave Ultraviolet Light Modulate Metabolic Events in Rat Peritoneal Mast Cells

We have previously shown that protoporphyrin (PP) plus long-wave ultraviolet light (UVA) has an inhibitory effect on the release of histamine from rat peritoneal mast cells in response to various stimuli, without compromising cell viability. In the present study, we observed that protoporphyrin at a noncytolytic dose (3 ng/ml) plus UVA irradiation (0.038 J/cm2) is also able to suppress prostaglandin D2 generation by rat peritoneal mast cells in response to calcium ionophore A23187, compound 48/80, or anti-IgE antibody by 64%, 92%, and 100%, respectively. Because of the participation of protein kinase C in stimulus-secretion coupling in mast cells, we also investigated the effect of PP plus UVA on the release of histamine induced by the protein kinase C activator, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA). PP plus UVA inhibited histamine release induced by PMA. The release of histamine induced by the synergistic combination of PMA (50 nM) and a low dose of calcium ionophore A23187 (0.1 microM) was also inhibited. PP plus UVA inhibited the release of histamine induced by the non-fluorescent calcium ionophore, 4-Br-A23187, by 47.8%, but had essentially no effect on changes in intracellular calcium induced by this stimulus. In contrast, both the release of histamine and changes in intracellular calcium stimulated by compound 48/80 were inhibited. We conclude from these results that PP plus UVA may affect both early and late biochemical events involved in mast cell mediator release.

Generation of leukotriene C4, leukotriene B4, and prostaglandin D2 by immunologically activated rat intestinal mucosa mast cells.

Mucosal mast cells (MMC) were isolated from the intestine of Nippostrongylus brasiliensis-infected rats and then activated with Ag or with anti-IgE in order to assess their metabolism of arachidonic acid to leukotriene (LT) C4, LTB4, and prostaglandin D2 (PGD2). After challenge of MMC preparations of 19 +/- 1% purity with five worm equivalents of N. brasiliensis Ag, the net formation of immunoreactive equivalents of LTC4, LTB4, and PGD2 was 58 +/- 8.3, 22 +/- 4.5, and 22 +/- 3.4 ng/10(6) mast cells, respectively (mean +/- SE, n = 7). When MMC preparations of 56 +/- 9% purity were activated by Ag, the net generation of immunoreactive equivalents of LTC4, LTB4, and PGD2/10(6) MMC was 107 +/- 15, 17 +/- 5.4, and 35 +/- 18 ng, respectively. These data indicate that the three eicosanoids originated from the MMC rather than from a contaminating cell. Analysis by reverse phase HPLC of the C-6 sulfidopeptide leukotrienes present in the supernatants of the activated MMC preparations of lower purity revealed LTC4, LTD4, and LTE4. In a higher purity MMC preparation only LTC4 was present, suggesting that other cell types in the mucosa are able to metabolize LTC4 to LTD4 and LTE4. The release of histamine and the generation of eicosanoids from intestinal MMC and from peritoneal cavity-derived connective tissue-type mast cells (CTMC) isolated from the same N. brasiliensis-infected rats were compared. When challenged with anti-IgE, these MMC released 165 +/- 41 ng of histamine/10(6) mast cells, and generated 29 +/- 3.6, 12 +/- 4.2, and 4.7 +/- 1.0 ng (mean +/- SE, n = 3) of immunoreactive equivalents of LTC4, LTB4, and PGD2/10(6) mast cells, respectively. In contrast, CTMC isolated from the same animals and activated with the same dose of anti-IgE released approximately 35 times more histamine (5700 +/- 650 ng/10(6) CTMC), generated 7.5 +/- 2.3 ng of PGD2/10(6) mast cells, and failed to release LTC4 or LTB4. These studies establish, that upon immunologic activation, rat MMC and CTMC differ in their quantitative release of histamine and in their metabolism of arachidonic acid to LTC4 and LTB4.

Prostaglandin D2 release from human skin mast cells in response to ionophore A23187

1. Cells were dispersed from human foreskin by proteolytic digestion and enriched or depleted in mast cell content by density gradient flotation on discontinuous gradients of Percoll. 2. Cells were harvested at six interfaces on the density gradient. Mast cell purity ranged from 0.6-85.0%, compared to 5.5% in the unfractionated cells. 3. Challenge of the cells with the calcium ionophore A23187 resulted in release of both histamine and prostaglandin D2 (PGD2). In fractions depleted of mast cells, histamine release and net PGD2 generation were low, but increasing amounts of these mediators were released as mast cell purity was increased up to 59%. 4. Overall, there was a significant correlation between the net generation of PGD2 and histamine (r = 0.9234, P less than 0.001) and also between PGD2 release and mast cell number (r = 0.7475, P less than 0.001). 5. These data provide the first direct evidence of the capacity of the human cutaneous mast cell to synthesize and release PGD2.

Anaphylactic- and calcium-dependent generation of prostaglandin D2 (PGD2), thromboxane B2, and other cyclooxygenase products of arachidonic acid by dispersed human lung cells and relationship to histamine release.

Proteolytic digestion of human lung tissue dispersed a population of cells (HDLC) containing 1 to 8% mast cells but which were free from bronchial and vascular smooth muscle. Incubation of HDLC with anti-human IgE, which released a net 24.8 + 4.3% of mast cell-derived histamine, stimulated a 14-fold increase in the generation of PGD2, a seven-fold increase in TXB2, and less than a twofold increase in PGF2 alpha, immunoreactive PGE, (i-PGE) and 6-keto-PGF1 alpha. A similar profile of prostanoid release was observed when cells were challenged with epsilon-specific anti-IgE, indicating that the response was specific to the coupling of IgE Fc receptors. The calcium ionophore A23187 also released prostanoids from HDLC in approximately the same proportions as anti-IgE. This stimulus, however, released only 50% as much PGD2 per nanogram histamine than did IgE-dependent activation, thereby showing a fundamental difference in the mechanisms by which the two agents activate mast cells and liberate arachidonic acid for oxidative metabolism. In concentration-response and time course experiments, both secretory stimuli released prostanoids and histamine in parallel. After separation of lung cells by isopyknic centrifugation, challenge with anti-IgE or A23187 released PGD2 only from those fractions containing mast cells, the amount released corresponding closely to both the mast cell concentration and net histamine release. On pooling data from all experiments, the closest correlation was found between release of PGD2 and histamine when cells were stimulated with either anti-IgE (r = 0.813, p less than 0.001) or A23187 (r = 0.763, p less than 0.001), supporting a mast cell origin for PGD2. The release of other prostanoids in fractions not containing mast cells demonstrates that macrophages, monocytes, and lymphocytes have the capacity to generate TXB2, PGF2 alpha, and i-PGE both in the absence and presence of mast cells. Thus, although mast cells are likely to be the major source of PGD2 generated upon IgE-dependent stimulation of HDLC, other cells dispersed from lung tissue have the capacity to generate prostanoids directly after activation of their IgE-Fc receptors and, indirectly after the secretion of mast cell mediators.

Activation of rat serosal mast cells by chymase, an endogenous secretory granule protease.

Chymase, the major neutral protease of the rat serosal mast cell (RMC) secretory granule, causes RMC to release their secretory granules and to oxidatively metabolize endogenous arachidonic acid to prostaglandin D2 (PGD2). The granule markers, endogenous beta-hexosaminidase and exogenously added [3H]serotonin, were released from 2.5 X 10(5) RMC in 50 microliters in parallel and in dose-response fashion, reaching a maximum net percent release of approximately 50% with 0.5 to 1.0 units chymase (15 U/mg)/ml. With incremental concentrations of chymase, the release of granule markers occurred with a shorter lag period and in a greater maximal net percent, whereas the release of PGD2 was dose-related without a reduction in latency to detectable generation. Inhibition of the esterase activity of chymase with lima bean trypsin inhibitor decreased the subsequent mast cell response, indicating that the active site of chymase was required to initiate granule secretion and PGD2 generation. The monophasic indomethacin-resistant rise in cellular cAMP at 15 to 45 sec coincident with the onset of chymase-induced mediator release and PGD2 secretion is similar to that observed with IgE receptor-initiated coupled activation-secretion. The ability of heparin to block the activation function of chymase without inhibition of esterase activity reveals a possible physiologic regulatory mechanism for limiting the potential action of secreted chymase.

IgE-mediated release of leukotriene C4, chondroitin sulfate E proteoglycan, beta-hexosaminidase, and histamine from cultured bone marrow-derived mouse mast cells.

Mouse bone marrow-derived mast cells differentiated in vitro and sensitized with monoclonal IgE respond to antigen-initiated activation with the release of histamine, beta-hexosaminidase, chondroitin sulfate E proteoglycan, and leukotriene C4 (LTC4). The chondroitin sulfate E nature of the glycosaminoglycan side chain was established by demonstrating that the chondroitinase ABC disaccharide digestion products were composed of equal quantities of 4-sulfated and 4,6-disulfated N-acetyl-galactosamine. The single immunoreactive sulfidopeptide leukotriene, released and quantitated with a class-specific antibody, was identified as LTC4 by its retention time on reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography and by its specific spasmogenic activity on the guinea pig ileum. The release of the preformed mediators, as well as of LTC4, was related in a dose-response fashion to the concentration of monoclonal IgE used during the sensitization step and to the concentration of specific antigen used to initiate the activation-secretion response. The optimal concentrations of IgE for sensitization and of antigen for challenge were the same for the release of preformed mediators and of LTC4. In addition, the time courses of their release were superimposable, with a plateau at 5 min after antigen challenge. The release of three preformed mediators and of LTC4 after fixation of IgE, washing of the sensitized cells, and antigen challenge unequivocally indicates a bone marrow-derived mast cell origin for these products. Linear regression analyses of the net percent release of beta-hexosaminidase to histamine and of 35S-chondroitin sulfate E to beta-hexosaminidase yielded straight lines that intersected at the origin, which indicates that the three preformed mediators are localized in the secretory granules of the bone marrow-derived mast cells. The concomitant generation of 23 ng of LTC4/10(6) sensitized bone marrow-derived mast cells represents the first example of IgE-dependent release of substantial amounts of LTC4, a component of slow reacting substance of anaphylaxis, from a mast cell population of greater than 95% purity. The IgE-dependent generation of LTC4, rather than prostaglandin D2, by the chondroitin sulfate E proteoglycan-containing bone marrow-derived mast cells contrasts with the predominant generation of prostaglandin D2 by heparin proteoglycan-containing mast cells. These differences together support the existence of two phenotypically different mast cell subclasses.

Prostaglandin D2 generation after activation of rat and human mast cells with anti-IgE.

Anti-IgE-dependent activation of rat and human mast cells resulted in the preferential generation of the cyclooxygenase products prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) and prostaglandin I2 (PGI2) in the rat and PGD2 in the human. The average net generation of PGD2, determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, was 13.1 ng/10(6) purified rat mast cells and 39.5 ng/10(6) dispersed, enriched human mast cells. After IgE-dependent activation, there was a linear relationship between the net quantities of PGD2 generated and of histamine secreted from dispersed human pulmonary cells when the number of mast cells was varied but the total number of cells was held constant, indicating that it is the number of mast cells participating in IgE-dependent activation, rather than total mast cell number, that determines PGD2 generation. A linear relationship was also shown between PGD2 generation, determined by radioimmunoassay, and the release of the granule marker beta-hexosaminidase from purified rat mast cells on the dose-response portion of the plot of their response to anti-IgE challenge. With higher concentrations of anti-IgE, PGD2 generation from rat mast cells plateaued, whereas net percent beta-hexosaminidase release increased further. In kinetic studies of rat mast cells activated with anti-IgE, the onset (1 to 2 min) and time of maximum generation (5 to 10 min) for PGD2 were delayed relative to the onset (15 to 30 sec) and completion (1 to 2 min) of beta-hexosaminidase release. Thus, the extracellular appearance of PGD2 during IgE-dependent mast cell activation represents a response additional to the secretion of granule-associated mediators.

Anaphylactic release of thromboxane A2, prostaglandin D2, and prostacyclin from human lung parenchyma.

Antigen challenge of passively sensitized chopped human lung resulted in the generation of several arachidonic acid cyclooxygenase metabolites (AACM): thromboxane A2 (TxA2) as measured by its stable metabolite TxB2, prostaglandin D2 (PgD2), prostacyclin (PgI2) as measured by its stable metabolite 6-keto-PgF1 alpha, prostaglandin F2 alpha (PgF2 alpha), and prostaglandin E (PgE). The kinetics of AACM release after antigen challenge paralleled histamine release. All AACM were released in an antigen dose-dependent manner and reached maximal release at antigen concentrations lower than those required for maximal histamine release. Quantitatively, of the AACM measured, PgD2 and PgI2 were found to predominate in anaphylactic reactions of human lung parenchyma. Generation of PgD2 and PgI2 were 3- to 7-fold greater than that of other AACM measured. Thromboxane B2 was generated in quantities comparable to PgE and PgF2 alpha. Studies were designed to test the hypothesis that lung smooth muscle contraction per se can account for the generated AACM that are released during anaphylaxis of the lung. The studies compared antigen-induced AACM generation with methacholine-induced (10(-4) M) AACM generation. The failure to confirm this hypothesis was especially evident for PgD2 where release was dependent on mast cell activation. Thromboxane A2, PgD2, and PgI2 have been reported to have potent effects on smooth muscle. Our data suggested that these AACM are generated in such sufficient quantities that they may function in important aspects of the modulation of hypersensitivity responses in human lungs.