AJP - Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Vol 268, Issue 5 826-L831, Copyright © 1995 by American Physiological Society
Interleukin-8 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 mRNAs in oxygen-injured rabbit lung
C. T. D'Angio, R. A. Sinkin, M. B. LoMonaco and J. N. Finkelstein
Department of Pediatrics/Neonatology, Strong Children's Research Center, University of Rochester, New York 14642, USA.
The chemokines interleukin-8 (IL-8) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1
(MCP-1) are neutrophil and monocyte attractants, respectively. We
hypothesized that IL-8 and MCP-1 mRNA expression in alveolar macrophages
(AM) lavaged from rabbit lung would be increased by oxygen exposure, which
is known to induce inflammation. Adult rabbits were exposed to > 95%
oxygen for up to 64 h and allowed to recover in room air for up to 72 h
before killing and pulmonary lavage. Numbers of lavageable
polymorphonuclear cells (PMN) and AM rose during the exposure protocol.
Quantitative in situ hybridization with 3H-labeled cRNA probes showed both
IL-8 and MCP-1 mRNA expression in AM during oxygen exposure, with peak
levels of IL-8 mRNA at 56-h oxygen exposure and of MCP-1 mRNA at 64-h
oxygen exposure with 24-h room air recovery. IL-8 mRNA was present in PMN
between 48-h oxygen exposure and 64-h oxygen exposure with 24-h room air
recovery. MCP-1 mRNA was not expressed in PMN. This pattern of chemokine
mRNA expression emphasizes the importance of inflammatory cells as
effectors in the pulmonary response to oxygen exposure.
