SPUTUM LEUKOTRIENES IN OBSTRUCTIVE AIRWAYS DISEASES

  • 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 55  (2) , 397-404
Abstract
Sputum samples from patients with bronchial asthma, chronic bronchitis and cystic fibrosis were examined for the presence of leukotrienes B4, C4 and D4. Following ethanol extraction and purification of Amberlite XAD-8, leukotrienes were identified by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) using the appropriate markers. Fractions from HPLC were also tested for biological activity using both the Boyden chemotaxis assay and FPL-5712 (7-[3-(4-acetyl-3-hydroxy-2-propylphenoxy)-2hydroxypropoxy]4-oxo-8-propyl-4H-1-benzopyren-2-carboxylic acid monosodium salt) inhibitable contraction of the isolated guinea-pig ileum. LTB4 was detected in the HPLC fractionated sputa from bronchial asthma (7 of 7), chronic bronchitis (4 of 4) and cystic fibrosis (4 of 4). Bioassay on the guinea pig ileum failed to detect LTC4 or LTD4 in 17 asthmatic sputa, although they were detected in 1 of 5 bronchitis and 16 of 25 patients with cystic fibrosis. The activity in 8 of these cystic fibrosis sputa was further characterized by HPLC and shown to be LTC4 and/or LTD4. Sputum from 11 of 17 asthmatics, 4 of 25 patients with cystic fibrosis and 2 of 5 bronchitics contained an anaphylatoxin like substance. The majority of sputum samples containing LTB4 also possessed an activity with physical and biological characteristics of the 5(S), 12(S), 6-trans LTB4 isomer. Lipoxygenase products of arachidonic acid metabolism are apparently present in the sputum in various forms of obstructive airways disease. The failure to detect the SRS-A leukotrienes in sputum from bronchial asthma may be attributable to either losses during extraction, the insensitivity of the assay procedure or to more rapid catabolism of LTC4 and LTD4 by bronchial secretions in asthma than in cystic fibrosis.