THE EFFECT OF VASODILATOR PROSTAGLANDINS ON POLYMORPHONUCLEAR LEUKOCYTE INFILTRATION AND VASCULAR INJURY

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 107  (3) , 300-309
Abstract
Some severe acute inflammatory reactions are characterized by polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) infiltration and vascular and tissue damage with hemorrhage. Two types of mediators that may be involved in such reactions are chemotactic factors and prostaglandins [PG]. The chemotactic factors can induce PMN infiltration, while some types of PG cause vasodilatation. Injection of soluble, nonphagocytosable chemotactic stimuli, zymosan-activated plasma (ZAP), or C5a des Arg into rabbit skin induced PMN-dependent hemorrhage. Whether PG may modulate the rate of PMN infiltration, measured with 51Cr-labeled leukocytes and the degree of hemorrhage, measured with 59Fe-labeled red cells was investigated. PGE1 (0.5 .mu.g) or PGE2 (1 .mu.g) increased ZAP-induced PMN accumulation by 81% and hemorrhage by 400%. A similar potentiation of PGE2 was observed when submaximal concentrations of ZAP were injected. PGF2.alpha. had no such effect. The degree of PMN infiltration of the tissues may be 1 factor determining the severity of vascular damage. Vasodilatory PG, generated during neutrophilic inflammatory reactions, may enhance chemotactic-factor-mediated PMN infiltration and increase the extent of vascular injury.