Phosphatidic acid signaling mediates lung cytokine expression and lung inflammatory injury after hemorrhage in mice.

Because phosphatidic acid (PA) pathway signaling may mediate many basic reactions involving cytokine-dependent responses, we investigated the effects of CT1501R, a functional inhibitor of the enzyme lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase (LPAAT) which converts lysophosphatidic acid (Lyso-PA) to PA. We found that CT1501R treatment not only prevented hypoxia-induced PA increases and lyso-PA consumption in human neutrophils, but also prevented neutrophil chemotaxis and adherence in vitro, and lung injury and lung neutrophil accumulation in mice subjected to hemorrhage and resuscitation. In addition, CT1501R treatment prevented increases in mRNA levels and protein production of a variety of proinflammatory cytokines in multiple lung cell populations after blood loss and resuscitation. Our results indicate the fundamental role of PA metabolism in the development of acute inflammatory lung injury after blood loss.

Hemorrhage increases cytokine expression in lung mononuclear cells in mice: involvement of catecholamines in nuclear factor-kappaB regulation and cytokine expression.

The expression of proinflammatory and immunoregulatory cytokines rapidly increases in the lungs after hemorrhage, and such alterations contribute to the frequent development of acute inflammatory lung injury in this setting. Blood loss also produces elevations in catecholamine concentrations in the pulmonary and systemic circulation. In the present experiments, we used alpha- and beta-adrenergic receptor blockade to examine in vivo interactions between hemorrhage-induced adrenergic stimulation and pulmonary cytokine expression. Treatment of mice with the alpha-adrenergic receptor antagonist phentolamine prevented not only the elevation in mRNA levels of IL-1beta, TNF-alpha, and TGF-beta1, the increase in IL-1beta protein, but also the activation of nuclear factor (NF)-KB and cyclic AMP response element binding protein, which occurred in lung cells of untreated animals during the first hour after hemorrhage. In contrast, treatment before hemorrhage with the beta-adrenergic receptor antagonist propranolol was associated with increases in mRNA levels for IL-1beta, TNF-alpha, and TGF-beta1, which were greater than those present in untreated hemorrhaged mice, and did not prevent hemorrhage-associated increases in lung IL-1beta protein. Treatment with propranolol prevented hemorrhage-induced phosphorylation of cyclic AMP response element binding protein, but increased hemorrhage-associated activation of NF-KB. These results demonstrate that hemorrhage initially increases pulmonary cytokine expression through alpha- but not beta-adrenergic stimulation, and suggest that such alpha-adrenergic-mediated effects occur through activation of the transcriptional regulatory factor NF-kappaB.

DNase I-hypersensitive sites and transcription factor-binding motifs within the mouse E beta meiotic recombination hot spot.

The second intron of the E beta gene in the mouse major histocompatibility complex is the site of a meiotic recombination hot spot. We detected two DNase I-hypersensitive sites in this intron in meiotic cells isolated from mouse testes. One site appears to be constitutive and is found in other tissues regardless of whether or not they express the E beta gene. Near this hypersensitive site are potential binding motifs for H2TF1/KBF1, NF kappa B, and octamer transcription factors. Gel retardation studies with mouse lymphoma cell nuclear extracts confirmed that each of these motifs is capable of binding protein. The binding of transcription factors may contribute to the enhancement of recombination potential by altering chromatin structure and increasing the accessibility of the DNA to the recombination machinery.

Cytokine expression in Peyer's patches following hemorrhage and resuscitation.

Intestinal dysfunction commonly occurs following hemorrhage and injury and appears to contribute to the development of multiple organ system failure in this setting. In order to examine possible mechanisms leading to intestinal dysfunction following blood loss, we investigated mRNA levels for cytokines with proinflammatory and immunoregulatory properties (interleukin 1 beta (IL-1 beta), IL-6, IL-10, TNF-alpha, TGF-beta, IFN-gamma) as well as mRNA expression for inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS) over the 3 days following hemorrhage and resuscitation. Significantly increased levels of mRNA for IL-1 beta, IL-10, and IFN-gamma were found among cells isolated from Peyer's patches 3 days following hemorrhage. Amounts of mRNA for inducible NOS were not significantly altered 24 or 72 h after blood loss. In addition to being increased 72 h following hemorrhage, levels of mRNA for IL-10 also were increased 1 and 4 h posthemorrhage. No alterations in cytokine or NOS expression were found 24 h following blood loss. These results demonstrate that significant increases in proinflammatory and immunoregulatory cytokine mRNA levels among cellular populations in Peyer's patches are present at late posthemorrhage time points. These alterations in cytokine expression may contribute to the morphologic, immunologic, and functional changes in the intestines which are present following blood loss and injury.

NF-kappaB regulatory mechanisms in alveolar macrophages from patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Activation of the nuclear regulatory factor NF-kappaB occurs in the lungs of patients with the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and may contribute to the increased expression of immunoregulatory cytokines and other proinflammatory mediators in this setting. Because of the important role that NF-kappaB activation appears to play in the development of acute lung injury, we examined cytoplasmic and nuclear NF-kapppaB counterregulatory mechanisms, involving IkappaB proteins, in alveolar macrophages obtained from 7 control patients without lung injury and 11 patients with established ARDS. Cytoplasmic levels of the NF-kappaB subunits p50, p65, and c-Rel were significantly decreased in alveolar macrophages from patients with ARDS, consistent with enhanced migration of liberated NF-kappaB dimers from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. Cytoplasmic and nuclear levels of IkappaBalpha were not significantly altered in alveolar macrophages from patients with established ARDS, compared with controls. In contrast, nuclear levels of Bcl-3 were significantly decreased in patients with ARDS compared with controls (P = 0.02). No IkappaBgamma, IkappaBbeta, or p105 proteins were detected in the cytoplasm of alveolar macrophages from control patients or patients with ARDS. The presence of activated NF-kappaB in alveolar macrophages from patients with established ARDS implies the presence of an ongoing stimulus for NF-kappaB activation. In this setting, appropriate counterregulatory mechanisms to normalize nuclear levels of NF-kappaB and to suppress NF-kappaB-mediated transcription, such as increased cytoplasmic and nuclear IkappaBalpha levels or decreased Bcl-3 levels, appeared to be induced. Nevertheless, even though counterregulatory mechanisms to NF-kappaB activation are activated in lung macrophages of patients with ARDS, NF-kappaB remains activated. These results suggest that fundamental abnormalities in transcriptional mechanisms involving NF-kappaB and important in the inflammatory response occur in the lungs of patients with ARDS.

Hemorrhage and resuscitation alter the expression of ICAM-1 and P-selectin in mice.

Acute inflammatory lung injury is a common clinical occurrence following blood loss and trauma, and is characterized by massive neutrophil infiltration into the lung. In order to better examine cell trafficking that may contribute to lung injury in this setting, we investigated in vivo mRNA levels and immunohistochemically determined expression of the adhesion molecules P-selectin and the intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 in murine lungs over the 3-day period following hemorrhage and resuscitation. Significant increases in P-selectin mRNA levels were present in lungs obtained 3 days after hemorrhage. ICAM-1 mRNA levels were significantly increased 6 and 72 hr after hemorrhage. Immunohistochemical staining for P-selectin was enhanced on pulmonary vascular endothelium in all visible vessels at 6, 24, and 72 hr after hemorrhage. ICAM-1 immunoreactivity was significantly increased on the alveolar epithelium at 6 and 72 hr post-hemorrhage. These results suggest that increased expression of adhesion molecules in the lung at early post-hemorrhage timepoints may contribute to neutrophil infiltration into the lungs and the frequent development of acute lung injury following blood loss and trauma.

Hypersensitivity of Drosophila mei-41 mutants to hydroxyurea is associated with reduced mitotic chromosome stability.

6 mutant alleles of the mei-41 locus in Drosophila melanogaster are shown to cause hypersensitivity to hydroxyurea in larvae. The strength of that sensitivity is directly correlated with the influence of the mutant alleles on meiosis in that: alleles exhibiting a strong meiotic effect (mei-41D2, mei-41D5, mei-41D7) are highly sensitive; alleles with negligible meiotic effects (mei-41(104)D1, mei-41(104)D2) are moderately sensitive and an allele which expresses meiotic effects only under restricted conditions (mei-41D9) has an intermediate sensitivity. This sensitivity is not a general feature of strong postreplication repair-deficient mutants, because mutants with that phenotype from other loci do not exhibit sensitivity (mus(2)205A1, mus(3)302D1, mus(3)310D1). The observed lethality is not due to hypersensitivity of DNA synthesis in mei-41 larvae to hydroxyurea as assayed by tritiated thymidine incorporation. Lethality is, however, potentially attributable to an abnormal enhancement of chromosomal aberrations by hydroxyurea in mutant mei-41 larvae. Both in vivo and in vitro exposure of neuroblast cells to hydroxyurea results in an increase in 3 types of aberrations which is several fold higher in mei-41 tissue. Since hydroxyurea disrupts DNA synthesis, these results further implicate the mei-41 locus in DNA metabolism and provide an additional tool for an elucidation of its function. The possible existence of additional genes of this nature is suggested by a more modest sensitivity to hydroxyurea which has been detected in two stocks carrying mutagen-sensitive alleles of alternate genes.

Methylation-induced blocks to in vitro DNA replication.

Single-stranded primed M13mp2 templates and double-stranded templates were treated with either dimethyl sulfate (DMS) or N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine and used for DNA synthesis in vitro. Methylation inhibits the ability of the molecules to serve as templates. When either E. coli DNA polymerase I or AMV reverse transcriptase were used as polymerases, DNA synthesis terminated one nucleotide 3' to the site of adenine residues in the template. Heating of the templates resulted in the appearance of additional termination bands one nucleotide before the site of G's in the template. We assume that methylated A's but not methylated G's are blocks to in vitro DNA synthesis and that heating converts a portion of the sites of methylated G to AP sites which are blocks to synthesis.

Hemorrhage induces rapid in vivo activation of CREB and NF-kappaB in murine intraparenchymal lung mononuclear cells.

Increased expression of proinflammatory cytokines appears to be an important factor contributing to the development of acute lung injury. In murine models, mRNA levels of proinflammatory and immunoregulatory cytokines, including IL-1alpha, IL-1beta, TGF-beta1, and TNF-alpha, are increased in intraparenchymal lung mononuclear cells 1 h after hemorrhage. Binding elements for the nuclear transcriptional regulatory factors, nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB), CCAAT/enhancer binding protein beta (C/EBPbeta), serum protein 1 (Sp1), activator protein 1 (AP-1), and the cyclic AMP response-element binding protein (CREB) are present in the promoter regions of numerous cytokine genes, including those whose expression is increased after blood loss. To investigate early transcriptional mechanisms which may be involved in regulating pulmonary cytokine expression after hemorrhage, we examined in vivo activation of these five nuclear transcriptional factors among intraparenchymal lung mononuclear cells obtained in the immediate post-hemorrhage period. Activation of NF-kappaB and CREB, but not C/EBPbeta, Sp1, or AP-1, was present in lung mononuclear cells isolated from mice 15 min after hemorrhage. Inhibition of xanthine oxidase by prior feeding with either an allopurinol-supplemented or a tungsten-enriched diet prevented hemorrhage-induced activation of CREB, but not NF-kappaB. These results demonstrate that hemorrhage leads to rapid in vivo activation in the lung of CREB through a xanthine oxidase-dependent mechanism and of NF-kappaB through other pathways, and suggest that the activation of these transcriptional factors may have an important role in regulating pulmonary cytokine expression and the development of acute lung injury after blood loss.

Plasma from hemorrhaged mice activates CREB and increases cytokine expression in lung mononuclear cells through a xanthine oxidase-dependent mechanism.

Hemorrhage rapidly increases plasma xanthine oxidase levels as well as the expression of proinflammatory and immunoregulatory cytokines in the lungs. To determine the role of circulating xanthine oxidase (XO), as well as other plasma factors, in affecting pulmonary cytokine expression, we conducted studies in which plasma from hemorrhaged mice was transferred into unhemorrhaged recipient mice. Administration of posthemorrhage plasma to recipient mice increased the levels of mRNA for interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) in lung mononuclear cells. No enhancement of mRNA levels for these cytokines was found in the lungs of mice given allopurinol-treated posthemorrhage plasma or fed a tungsten-enriched, XO-depleting diet prior to transfer of posthemorrhage plasma. Among the nuclear transcriptional regulatory factors examined, only the cyclic AMP response-element binding protein (CREB) was activated in nuclear extracts from lung mononuclear cells of mice that were given posthemorrhage plasma. No activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B), nuclear factor interleukin 6 (NF-IL6), activating protein-1 (AP-1), or serum protein-1 (SP-1) was found. These results suggest that the mechanism for hemorrhage-induced increases in pulmonary cytokine expression is by activation of the enhancer CREB through a tissue XO-dependent pathway initiated by plasma-borne mediators.

Mechanisms of lung neutrophil activation after hemorrhage or endotoxemia: roles of reactive oxygen intermediates, NF-kappa B, and cyclic AMP response element binding protein.

Acute inflammatory lung injury occurs frequently in the setting of severe infection or blood loss. Accumulation of activated neutrophils in the lungs and increased pulmonary proinflammatory cytokine levels are major characteristics of acute lung injury. In the present experiments, we examined mechanisms leading to neutrophil accumulation and activation in the lungs after endotoxemia or hemorrhage. Levels of IL-1 beta, TNF-alpha, and macrophage inflammatory protein-2 mRNA were increased in lung neutrophils from endotoxemic or hemorrhaged mice compared with those present in lung neutrophils from control mice or in peripheral blood neutrophils from endotoxemic, hemorrhaged, or control mice. The transcriptional regulatory factors NF-kappa B and cAMP response element binding protein were activated in lung but not blood neutrophils after hemorrhage or endotoxemia. Xanthine oxidase inhibition, achieved by feeding allopurinol or tungsten-containing diets, did not affect neutrophil trafficking to the lungs after hemorrhage or endotoxemia. Xanthine oxidase inhibition did prevent hemorrhage- but not endotoxemia-induced increases in proinflammatory cytokine expression among lung neutrophils. Hemorrhage- or endotoxemia-associated activation of NF-kappa B in lung neutrophils was not affected by inhibition of xanthine oxidase. cAMP response element binding protein activation was increased after hemorrhage, but not endotoxemia, in mice fed xanthine oxidase-inhibiting diets. Our results indicate that xanthine oxidase modulates cAMP response element binding protein activation and proinflammatory cytokine expression in lung neutrophils after hemorrhage, but not endotoxemia. These findings suggest that the mechanisms leading to acute inflammatory lung injury after hemorrhage differ from those associated with endotoxemia.

Effects of hemorrhage on cytokine gene transcription.

Injury and blood loss are often followed by infection and the rapid development of organ system dysfunction, frequently involving mucosal sites, such as the lung and intestine. To examine possible mechanisms contributing to these conditions, we used semiquantitative polymerase chain reactions to determine cytokine mRNA expression among cellular populations isolated from mucosal and systemic anatomic sites of mice at predetermined time points following 30% blood volume hemorrhage with resuscitation 1 hr later. Within 1 hr after hemorrhage, significant increases were observed in mRNA levels for IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-5, and TGF-beta in intraparenchymal pulmonary mononuclear cells. The levels of TGF-beta transcripts among alveolar macrophages were increased 1 hr following blood loss, and increase in IL-1 alpha transcripts was found starting 2 hr posthemorrhage. Cells from Peyer's patches showed significant increases in mRNA levels for IL-1 beta, IL-2, IL-5, IL-6, IFN-gamma, and TGF-beta during the 4 hr following hemorrhage. Significant increases in mRNA levels for IL-1 beta, TNF-alpha, and TGF-beta were present within 4 hr of blood loss among cells isolated from mesenteric lymph nodes. The expression of mRNA for most cytokines was not significantly altered in splenocytes or peripheral blood mononuclear cells at any time point following hemorrhage. These experiments demonstrate that blood loss, even if resuscitated, produces significant increases in proinflammatory and immunoregulatory cytokine gene transcription as early as 1 hr following hemorrhage. These posthemorrhage alterations in cytokine mRNA expression were particularly prominent at mucosal sites, suggesting a mechanism for the increased incidence of pulmonary and intestinal involvement in organ system failure following severe blood loss and injury.

Effects of treatment with the 21-aminosteroid, U7438F, on pulmonary cytokine expression following hemorrhage and resuscitation.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of therapy with the antioxidant 21-aminosteroid, U74389F, on cytokine mRNA levels following hemorrhage and resuscitation. DESIGN: Prospective, controlled animal study. SETTING: University research laboratory. SUBJECTS: Male bronchoalveolar lavage B/c (BALB/c) mice. INTERVENTIONS: U74389F (10 mg/kg) in CS4 vehicle or CS4 vehicle alone, was administered intravenously to bronchoalveolar lavage B/c mice 15 mins before 30% blood volume hemorrhage, with resuscitation 60 mins later. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Semiquantitative polymerase chain reactions were used to determine the effects of therapy with U74389F on cytokine mRNA levels among intraparenchymal pulmonary mononuclear cells, alveolar macrophages, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells obtained 2 hrs and 3 days after hemorrhage. In mice treated with U74389F, mRNA levels for interleukin (IL)-1 beta, IL-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and interferon-gamma were significantly decreased among intraparenchymal pulmonary mononuclear cells obtained 3 days, but not 2 hrs, after hemorrhage. No effects of therapy with U74389F were found in modulating posthemorrhage cytokine expression among alveolar macrophages or peripheral blood mononuclear cells. CONCLUSIONS: These studies demonstrate that treatment with U74389F, a 21-aminosteroid whose major activity is inhibition of lipid peroxidation due to the generation of reactive oxygen intermediates, significantly decreases hemorrhage-induced activation of proinflammatory cytokine expression among pulmonary cell populations. In addition, the present results, showing decreased expression of proinflammatory and immunoregulatory cytokines among intraparenchymal pulmonary mononuclear cells following treatment with U74389F, suggest that 21-aminosteroids may have clinical utility in preventing and/or modulating acute lung injury in the postinjury period.

Activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases, NF-kappa B, and cyclic adenosine 5'-monophosphate response element-binding protein in lung neutrophils occurs by differing mechanisms after hemorrhage or endotoxemia.

Acute lung injury is frequently associated with sepsis or blood loss and is characterized by a proinflammatory response and infiltration of activated neutrophils into the lungs. Hemorrhage or endotoxemia result in activation of cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) and NF-kappa B in lung neutrophils as well as increased expression of proinflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-alpha and macrophage-inflammatory peptide-2, by these cells. Activation of the extracellular regulated kinase (ERK) pathway occurs in stress responses and is involved in CREB activation. In the present experiments, hemorrhage or endotoxemia produced increased activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK)1/2 and ERK2 (p42), but not of ERK1 (p44), in lung neutrophils. ERK1, ERK2, and MEK1/2 were not activated in peripheral blood neutrophils after hemorrhage or endotoxemia. Inhibition of xanthine oxidase led to further increase in the activation of MEK1/2 and ERK2 in lung neutrophils after hemorrhage, but not after endotoxemia. Alpha-adrenergic blockade before hemorrhage resulted in increased activation in lung neutrophils of MEK1/2, ERK1, ERK2, and CREB, but decreased activation of NF-kappa B. In contrast, alpha-adrenergic blockade before endotoxemia was associated with decreased activation of MEK1/2, ERK2, and CREB, but increased activation of NF-kappa B. Beta-adrenergic blockade before hemorrhage did not alter MEK1/2 or ERK1 activation in lung neutrophils, but decreased activation of ERK2 and CREB, while increasing activation of NF-kappa B. Beta-adrenergic inhibition before endotoxemia did not affect activation of MEK1/2, ERK1, ERK2, CREB, or NF-kappa B. These data indicate that the pathways leading to lung neutrophil activation after hemorrhage are different from those induced by endotoxemia.

Effects of endogenous and exogenous catecholamines on LPS-induced neutrophil trafficking and activation.

Endotoxemia produces elevations in catecholamine levels in the pulmonary and systemic circulation as well as rapid increases in neutrophil number and proinflammatory cytokine expression in the lungs. In the present experiments, we examined the effects of endogenous and exogenous adrenergic stimulation on endotoxin-induced lung neutrophil accumulation and activation. Levels of interleukin (IL)-1beta, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, and macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-2 mRNAs were increased in lung neutrophils from endotoxemic mice compared with those present in lung neutrophils from control mice or in peripheral blood neutrophils from endotoxemic or control mice. Treatment with the beta-adrenergic antagonist propranolol before endotoxin administration did not affect trafficking of neutrophils to the lungs or the expression of IL-1beta, TNF-alpha, or MIP-2 by lung neutrophils. Administration of the alpha-adrenergic antagonist phentolamine before endotoxemia did not alter lung neutrophil accumulation as measured by myeloperoxidase (MPO) levels but did result in significant increases in IL-1beta, TNF-alpha, and MIP-2 mRNA expression by lung neutrophils compared with endotoxemia alone. Administration of the alpha1-adrenergic agonist phenylephrine before endotoxin did not affect trafficking of neutrophils to the lungs but was associated with significantly increased expression of TNF-alpha and MIP-2 mRNAs by lung neutrophils compared with that found after endotoxin alone. In contrast, treatment with the alpha2-adrenergic agonist UK-14304 prevented endotoxin-induced increases in lung MPO and lung neutrophil cytokine mRNA levels. The suppressive effects of UK-14304 on endotoxin-induced increases in lung MPO were not affected by administration of the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester. These data demonstrate that the initial accumulation and activation of neutrophils in the lungs after endotoxemia can be significantly diminished by alpha2-adrenergic stimulation. Therapy with alpha2-adrenergic agents may have a role in modulating inflammatory pulmonary processes associated with sepsis-induced acute lung injury.

Anti-transforming growth factor-beta monoclonal antibodies prevent lung injury in hemorrhaged mice.

Acute lung injury, characterized as the adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), is a common clinical occurrence following blood loss and injury. We previously found increased levels of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta 1 mRNA in murine intraparenchymal mononuclear cells and in alveolar macrophages within 1 h after hemorrhage. Because TGF-beta has potent proinflammatory and immunoregulatory properties, we investigated the effect of blocking TGF-beta with mAb on hemorrhage-induced pathology, cytokine mRNA levels in lungs, as well as survival from pneumonia. Mice treated with anti-TGF-beta mAb showed normal pulmonary histology 3 days after hemorrhage and resuscitation in contrast to the mononuclear and neutrophil infiltrates, intraalveolar hemorrhage, and interstitial edema found in hemorrhaged mice either treated with control antibody or not treated with any antibody. Decreased mRNA levels for IL-1 beta, TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-10, and IFN-gamma as compared with untreated, hemorrhaged controls were present in intraparenchymal pulmonary mononuclear cells following therapy with anti-TGF-beta. In contrast, therapy with anti-TGF-beta increased mRNA levels for IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha in alveolar macrophages and for TGF-beta in peripheral blood mononuclear cells collected 3 days after hemorrhage. Administration of anti-TGF-beta to hemorrhaged mice did not correct the enhanced susceptibility to Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia that exists after hemorrhage. These results suggest that TGF-beta has an important role in hemorrhage-induced acute lung injury, but does not contribute to the post-hemorrhage depression in pulmonary antibacterial response.

Hemorrhage and resuscitation induce alterations in cytokine expression and the development of acute lung injury.

Acute pulmonary injury occurs frequently following hemorrhage and injury. In order to better examine the sequence of events leading to lung injury in this setting, we investigated lung histology as well as in vivo mRNA levels for cytokines with proinflammatory and immunoregulatory properties (IL-1 beta, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-alpha, TGF-beta, IFN-gamma) over the 3 days following hemorrhage and resuscitation. Significant increases in mRNA levels for IL-1 beta, IL-6, IL-10, and IFN-gamma, but not TNF-alpha, were present among intraparenchymal pulmonary mononuclear cells obtained 1 and 3 days after hemorrhage. Among alveolar macrophages, TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta mRNA levels were increased 3 days after hemorrhage. Few changes in cytokine mRNA levels, with the exception of TNF-alpha at 3 days after hemorrhage, were present among peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Histologic examination of lungs from hemorrhaged animals showed no alterations 1 day after hemorrhage, but neutrophil and mononuclear cell infiltrates, edema, intra-alveolar hemorrhage, and fibrin generation were present 3 days after hemorrhage. These results suggest that hemorrhage-induced enhancement of proinflammatory cytokine gene transcription may be an important mechanism contributing to the frequent development of acute lung injury following blood loss and injury.

Neutrophils as early immunologic effectors in hemorrhage- or endotoxemia-induced acute lung injury.

Acute lung injury is characterized by accumulation of neutrophils in the lungs, accompanied by the development of interstitial edema and an intense inflammatory response. To assess the role of neutrophils as early immune effectors in hemorrhage- or endotoxemia-induced lung injury, mice were made neutropenic with cyclophosphamide or anti-neutrophil antibodies. Endotoxemia- or hemorrhage-induced lung edema was significantly reduced in neutropenic animals. Activation of the transcriptional regulatory factor nuclear factor-kappaB after hemorrhage or endotoxemia was diminished in the lungs of neutropenic mice compared with nonneutropenic controls. Hemorrhage or endotoxemia was followed by increases in pulmonary mRNA and protein levels for interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). Endotoxin-induced increases in proinflammatory cytokine expression were greater than those found after hemorrhage. The amounts of mRNA or protein for IL-1beta, MIP-2, and TNF-alpha were significantly lower after hemorrhage in the lungs of neutropenic versus nonneutropenic mice. Neutropenia was associated with significant reductions in IL-1beta and MIP-2 but not in TNF-alpha expression in the lungs after endotoxemia. These experiments show that neutrophils play a central role in initiating acute inflammatory responses and causing injury in the lungs after hemorrhage or endotoxemia.

The mouse Eb meiotic recombination hotspot contains a tissue-specific transcriptional enhancer.

A meiotic recombination hotspot exists within the second intron of the mouse major histocompatibility complex (MHC) gene, Eb. In the present study, a small fragment from the intron which contains two potential transcriptional regulatory elements was cloned into an expression vector and its effect on transcription was tested. This fragment was found to contain tissue-specific transcriptional enhancer activity. An octamer-like sequence and a B motif may contribute to this enhancer activity. Similar regulatory sequences with the same orientation and distance from one another are found in another mouse MHC recombination hotspot.