BYSSINOSIS - RELEASE OF PROSTAGLANDINS, THROMBOXANE, AND 5-HYDROXYTRYPTAMINE IN BRONCHOPULMONARY LAVAGE FLUID AFTER INHALATION OF COTTON DUST EXTRACTS

  • 1 January 1985
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 118  (1) , 128-133
Abstract
New Zealand White rabbits were exposed intratracheally to aerosolized cotton dust extract (CDE) for 5 min of tidal breathing and lavaged 15 min 1,4 and 6 h after exposure. Bronchoalveolar lavage cells were counted, and the number of macrophages and polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) was determined. Cell recruitment, which began 1 h after exposure to CDE and plateaued at 6 h, consisted of both mononuclear cells and PMN. Lavage fluid was analyzed for concentrations of prostaglandin F2.alpha. (PGF2.alpha.), prostaglandin E1 and E2 (PGE), thromboxane B2 (TxB2), and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT). PGF2.alpha., PGE, TxB2 and 5-HT were maximally increased in the lavage 4 h after exposure to CDE. This is the first study to demonstrate the in vivo release of arachidonic acid metabolites and 5-HT in the lung in response to CDE inhalation. This study also demonstrates that maximum mediator release occurs at 4 h after exposure to aerosolized CDE. Arachidonic acid metabolites are apparently availabe to mediate either totally or partially the pathogenic mechanism(s) of bronchoconstriction seen in the acute byssinotic reaction of man.