Search

Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) is a fungal pulmonary disease with high mortality in immunocompromised patients. Neutrophils are essential in defending against fungal infections; however, their role in PCP is controversial. Here we aim to investigate the effects of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) on Pneumocystis clearance and lung injury using a mouse model of PCP. Intriguingly, although neutrophils play a fundamental role in defending against fungal infections, NETs failed to eliminate Pneumocystis, but instead impaired the killing of Pneumocystis. Mechanically, Pneumocystis triggered Leukotriene B4 (LTB4)-dependent neutrophil swarming, leading to agglutinative NET formation. Blocking Leukotriene B4 with its receptor antagonist Etalocib significantly reduced the accumulation and NET release of neutrophils in vitro and in vivo, enhanced the killing ability of neutrophils against Pneumocystis, and alleviated lung injury in PCP mice. This study identifies the deleterious role of agglutinative NETs in Pneumocystis infection and reveals a new way to prevent NET formation, which provides new insights into the pathogenesis of PCP., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease that causes several clinical manifestations. Parasites of the genus Leishmania cause this disease. Spread across five continents, leishmaniasis is a particular public health problem in developing countries. Leishmania infects phagocytic cells such as macrophages, where it induces adenosine triphosphate (ATP) release at the time of infection. ATP activates purinergic receptors in the cell membranes of infected cells and promotes parasite control by inducing leukotriene B4 release and NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Moreover, uridine triphosphate induces ATP release, exacerbating the immune response. However, ATP may also undergo catalysis by ectonucleotidases present in the parasite membrane, generating adenosine, which activates P1 receptors and induces the production of anti-inflammatory molecules such as prostaglandin E2 and IL-10. These mechanisms culminate in Leishmania's survival. Thus, how Leishmania handles extracellular nucleotides and the activation of purinergic receptors determines the control or the dissemination of the disease., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest The authors declare no competing or financial interests., (Copyright © 2021 Chang Gung University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective and Design: This study tested the hypothesis that sickle red blood cell (SS-RBC) can induce inflammasome NLRP3 components gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) as well as interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and leukotriene B4 (LTB4) production. Additionally, we investigated the effect of hydroxyurea (HU) treatment in these inflammatory markers., Methods: PBMCs from healthy donors (AA-PBMC) were challenged with intact and lysed RBCs from SCA patients (SS-RBC) and from healthy volunteers (AA-RBC). NLRP3, IL-1β, IL-18 and Caspase-1 gene expression levels were assessed by quantitative PCR (qPCR). IL-1β protein levels and LTB4 were measured by ELISA., Results: We observed that lysed SS-RBC induced the expression of inflammasome NLRP3 components, but this increase was more prominent for CASP1 and IL18 expression levels. Moreover, we observed that intact SS-RBC induced higher production of IL-1β and LTB4 than lysed SS-RBC. Although SCA patients treated with HU have a reduction in NLRP3 gene expression and LTB4 production, this treatment did not modulate the expression of other inflammasome components or IL-1β production., Conclusions: Thus, our data suggest that caspase-1, IL-1β and IL-18 may contribute to the inflammatory status observed in SCA and that HU treatment may not interfere in this inflammatory pathway., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, recurring inflammatory dermatosis characterized by abscesses, deep-seated nodules, sinus tracts, and fibrosis in skin lesions around hair follicles of the axillary, inguinal, and anogenital regions. Whereas the exact pathogenesis remains poorly defined, clear evidence suggests that HS is a multifactorial inflammatory disease characterized by innate and adaptive immune components. Bioactive lipids are important regulators of cutaneous homeostasis, inflammation, and resolution of inflammation. Alterations in the lipid mediator profile can lead to malfunction and cutaneous inflammation. We used targeted lipidomics to analyze selected omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids in skin of patients with HS and of healthy volunteers. Lesional HS skin displayed enrichment of 5-lipoxygenase (LO)‒derived metabolites, especially leukotriene B4. In addition, 15-LO‒derived metabolites were underrepresented in HS lesions. Changes in the lipid mediator profile were accompanied by transcriptomic dysregulation of the 5-LO and 15-LO pathways. Hyperactivation of the 5-LO pathway in lesional macrophages identified these cells as potential sources of leukotriene B4, which may cause neutrophil influx and activation. Furthermore, leukotriene B4-induced mediators and pathways were elevated in HS lesions, suggesting a contribution of this proinflammatory lipid meditator to the pathophysiology of HS., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-induced injury is an inflammatory response with significant morbidity and mortality. The early inflammatory response includes neutrophil infiltration. However, the majority of rodent studies utilize male mice despite a sexual dimorphism in intestinal I/R-related diseases. We hypothesized that sex may alter inflammation by changing neutrophil infiltration and eicosanoid production. To test this hypothesis, male and female C57Bl/6 mice were subjected to sham treatment or 30 min intestinal ischemia followed by a time course of reperfusion. We demonstrate that compared to male mice, females sustain significantly less intestinal I/R-induced tissue damage and produced significant LTB 4 concentrations. Male mice release PGE 2 . Finally, treatment with a COX-2 specific inhibitor, NS-398, attenuated I/R-induced injury, total peroxidase level, and PGE 2 production in males, but not in similarly treated female mice. Thus, I/R-induced eicosanoid production and neutrophil infiltration varies between sexes suggesting that distinct therapeutic intervention may be needed in clinical ischemic diseases., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None of the authors has any potential financial conflict of interest related to this manuscript., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) from blood vessel rupture results in parenchymal hematoma formation and neuroinflammation, ultimately leading to neurodegeneration. Several lines of evidence suggest that the severity of ICH-induced neural damage is exacerbated by infiltration of T-cells, monocytes, and especially neutrophils into the hematoma. Neutrophil migration is regulated by chemokines, formyl peptides, and leukotriene B 4 (LTB 4 ), a metabolite of arachidonic acid. In this study, we demonstrate that LTB 4 is a key signaling factor promoting microglial activity and leukocyte infiltration into hematoma and thus a potentially critical determinant of ICH pathogenesis and clinical outcome. Lipidomic analysis revealed markedly increased LTB 4 concentration in the hematoma-containing brain tissues 6-24 h after experimental ICH in mice. Expression of 5-lipoxygenase, a rate-limiting enzyme for LTB 4 production, was upregulated in activated microglia and neutrophils within the hematoma following ICH. Treatment of cultured BV-2 microglia with thrombin, which is abundant in hematoma, promoted activation, proinflammatory cytokine expression, and LTB 4 secretion. Further, conditioned medium from thrombin-stimulated BV-2 cells potentiated the transwell migration of neutrophil-like cells, a response blocked by a LTB 4 receptor antagonist. These results suggest that arachidonic acid conversion to LTB 4 following ICH contributes to neuroinflammation and ensuing neural tissue damage by inducing microglial activation and neutrophil recruitment., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common autoimmune disease, resulting in synovitis, joint pain and stiffness, even deformity and disability. The interactions between leukotriene B4 (LTB4) and neutrophils in RA progression have not been elucidated in detail. Our review focuses on the correlation of LTB4 and neutrophils in the development of RA especially in terms of infiltration and delayed life span of neutrophils. In this article, the roles of LTB4 in the anti-apoptosis of neutrophils will be detailed, which is achieved by suppressed pro-apoptotic Bax and up-regulated anti-apoptotic Mcl-1, and several key molecules, as well as signalling pathways and factors relevant to the enhancement of LTB4 production and functions. The mechanisms of LTB4-induced anti-apoptosis and infiltration of neutrophils provide more potential targets in the treatment of RA and recent therapeutic strategies are also discussed.

The ectoparasite, Lepeophtheirus salmonis (Kroyer 1837), is effective at avoiding elimination from its host, Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., by inhibiting the recruitment of immune cells to the site of attachment. In other ectoparasitic arthropods, numerous factors have been identified that bind or neutralize chemokines preventing their interaction with receptors on the surfaces of immune cells. To determine if L. salmonis is utilizing a similar mechanism of immune modulation, the chemotactic activity of peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) to leukotriene B4 (LTB4) and the secreted/excreted products (SEPs) of the sea louse were investigated in vitro. The results showed that incubation of LTB4 with SEPs reduced leukocyte migration compared to LTB4 immune stimulation alone. Data suggests that one of the mechanisms L. salmonis may be using to regulate immune cell recruitment in Atlantic salmon is by inhibiting or neutralizing the activity of chemokines., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare they have no conflict of interest in this research., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Leukotriene B 4 (LTB 4 ) has been found to contribute to pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) proliferation and pulmonary arterial remodeling therefore the development of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Yet, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. The present study aims to address this issue. Our results demonstrate that LTB 4 dose- and time-dependently induced proliferation of primary cultured rat PASMCs, this was accompanied with the activation of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/Akt (PI3K/Akt) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) signaling pathways, and consequent inactivation of glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β), up-regulation of β-catenin and induction of cyclin D1 expression. The presence of PI3K inhibitor (LY294002) or MEK inhibitor (U0126) or prior silencing of β-catenin with siRNA suppressed LTB 4 -induced cyclin D1 up-regulation and PASMCs proliferation. In addition, inactivation or lack of GSK-3β up-regulated β-catenin and cyclin D1 in PASMCs. Taken together, our study indicates that activation of PI3K/Akt and ERK1/2 pathways mediates LTB 4 -induced PASMCs proliferation by modulating GSK-3β/β-catenin/cyclin D1 axis and suggests that targeting this pathway might have potential value in alleviating vascular remodeling and benefit PAH., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

We investigated the effects of resolvin E (RvE) 1, RvE2, and RvE3 on IL-4- and IL-33-stimulated bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) from house dust mite (HDM)-sensitized mice. We also investigated the role of RvE3 in a murine model of HDM-induced airway inflammation. In vitro , BMDCs from HDM-sensitized mice were stimulated with IL-4 and IL-33 and then treated with RvE1, RvE2, RvE3, or vehicle. RvE1, RvE2, and RvE3 suppressed IL-23 release from BMDCs. In vivo, RvE3 administrated to HDM-sensitized and challenged mice in the resolution phase promoted a decline in total numbers of inflammatory cells and eosinophils, reduced levels of IL-23 and IL-17 in lavage fluid, and suppressed IL-23 and IL-17A mRNA expression in lung and peribronchial lymph nodes. RvE3 also reduced resistance in the lungs of HDM-sensitized mice. A NanoBiT β-arrestin recruitment assay using human embryonic kidney 293 cells revealed that pretreatment with RvE3 suppressed the leukotriene B4 (LTB4)-induced β-arrestin 2 binding to LTB4 receptor 1 (BLT1R), indicating that RvE3 antagonistically interacts with BLT1R. Collectively, these findings indicate that RvE3 facilitates the resolution of allergic airway inflammation, partly by regulating BLT1R activity and selective cytokine release by dendritic cells. Our results accordingly identify RvE3 as a potential therapeutic target for the management of asthma.-Sato, M., Aoki-Saito, H., Fukuda, H., Ikeda, H., Koga, Y., Yatomi, M., Tsurumaki, H., Maeno, T., Saito, T., Nakakura, T., Mori, T., Yanagawa, M., Abe, M., Sako, Y., Dobashi, K., Ishizuka, T., Yamada, M., Shuto, S., Hisada, T. Resolvin E3 attenuates allergic airway inflammation via the interleukin-23-interleukin-17A pathway.

Human mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) extracellular vesicles (EV) can reduce the severity of bacterial pneumonia, but little is known about the mechanisms underlying their antimicrobial activity. In the current study, we found that bacterial clearance induced by MSC EV in Escherichia coli pneumonia in C57BL/6 mice was associated with high levels of leukotriene (LT) B 4 in the injured alveolus. More importantly, the antimicrobial effect of MSC EV was abrogated by cotreatment with a LTB 4 BLT1 antagonist. To determine the role of MSC EV on LT metabolism, we measured the effect of MSC EV on a known ATP-binding cassette transporter, multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 (MRP1), and found that MSC EV suppressed MRP1 mRNA, protein, and pump function in LPS-stimulated Raw264.7 cells in vitro. The synthesis of LTB 4 and LTC 4 from LTA 4 are competitive, and MRP1 is the efflux pump for LTC 4 Inhibition of MRP1 will increase LTB 4 production. In addition, administration of a nonspecific MRP1 inhibitor (MK-571) reduced LTC 4 and subsequently increased LTB 4 levels in C57BL/6 mice with acute lung injury, increasing overall antimicrobial activity. We previously found that the biological effects of MSC EV were through the transfer of its content, such as mRNA, microRNA, and proteins, to target cells. In the current study, miR-145 knockdown abolished the effect of MSC EV on the inhibition of MRP1 in vitro and the antimicrobial effect in vivo. In summary, MSC EV suppressed MRP1 activity through transfer of miR-145, thereby resulting in enhanced LTB 4 production and antimicrobial activity through LTB 4 /BLT1 signaling., (Copyright © 2019 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc.)

The treatment of most autoimmune diseases still relies on systemic immunosuppression and is associated with severe side effects. The development of drugs that more specifically abrogate pathogenic pathways is therefore most desirable. In nature, such specificity is exemplified, e.g., by the soft tick-derived biotherapeutic Coversin, which locally suppresses immune responses by inhibiting complement factor 5 (C5) and leukotriene B4 (LTB4). C5a, a proteolytic fragment of C5, and LTB4 are critical drivers of skin inflammation in pemphigoid diseases (PDs), a group of autoimmune blistering skin diseases. Here, we demonstrate that both Coversin and its mutated form L-Coversin, which inhibits LTB4 only, dose dependently attenuate disease in a model of bullous pemphigoid-like epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (BP-like EBA). Coversin, however, reduces disease more effectively than L-Coversin, indicating that inhibition of C5 and LTB4 synergize in their suppressing effects in this model. Further supporting the therapeutic potential of Coversin in humans, we found that C5a and LTB4 are both present in the blister fluid of patients with BP in quantities inducing the recruitment of granulocytes and that the number of cells expressing their receptors, C5aR1 and BLT1, respectively, is increased in perilesional skin. Collectively, our results highlight Coversin and possibly L-Coversin as potential therapeutics for PDs.

Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease affecting millions of individuals worldwide. P2X7 receptor has been linked to the elimination of Leishmania amazonensis. Biological responses evoked by P2X7 receptor activation have been well-documented, including apoptosis, phagocytosis, cytokine release, such as IL-1β. It was demonstrated that NLRP3 inflammasome activation and IL-1β signaling participated in resistance against L. amazonensis. Furthermore, our group has shown that L. amazonensis elimination through P2X7 receptor activation depended on leukotriene B4 (LTB4) production and release. Therefore, we investigated whether L. amazonensis elimination by P2X7 receptor and LTB4 involved NLRP3 inflammasome activation and IL-1β signaling. We showed that macrophages from NLRP3-/-, ASC-/-, Casp-1/11-/-, gp91phox-/- , and IL-1R-/- mice treated with ATP or LTB4 did not decrease parasitic load as was observed in WT mice. When ASC-/- macrophages were treated with exogenous IL-1β, parasite killing was noted, however, we did not see parasitic load reduction in IL-1R-/- macrophages. Similarly, macrophages from P2X7 receptor-deficient mice treated with IL-1β also showed decreased parasitic load. In addition, when we infected Casp-11-/- macrophages, neither ATP nor LTB4 were able to reduce parasitic load, and Casp-11-/- mice were more susceptible to L. amazonensis infection than were WT mice. Furthermore, P2X7-/- L. amazonensis-infected mice locally treated with exogenous LTB4 showed resistance to infection, characterized by lower parasite load and smaller lesions compared to untreated P2X7-/- mice. A similar observation was noted when infected P2X7-/- mice were treated with IL-1β, i.e., lower parasite load and smaller lesions compared to P2X7-/- mice. These data suggested that L. amazonensis elimination mediated by P2X7 receptor and LTB4 was dependent on non-canonical NLRP3 inflammasome activation, ROS production, and IL-1β signaling., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Leukotriene B 4 (LTB 4 ) plays a prominent role in innate immunity as it induces phagocyte recruitment, the release of antimicrobial effectors, and as it potentiates the ingestion and killing of pathogens. In humans, LTB 4 has a short half-life and is rapidly metabolized by leukocytes, notably into 20-OH- and 20-COOH-LTB 4 by neutrophils. Although these LTB 4 metabolites bind to the BLT 1 receptor with high affinity, they activate neutrophils to a much lower extent than LTB 4 . We thus postulated that LTB 4 metabolites could dampen BLT 1 -mediated responses, therefore limiting the impact of LTB 4 on human neutrophil functions. We found that 20-OH-LTB 4 and 20-COOH-LTB 4 inhibited all of the LTB 4 -mediated neutrophil responses we tested (migration, degranulation, leukotriene biosynthesis). The potencies of the different compounds at inhibiting LTB 4 -mediated responses were 20-OH-LTB 4  = CP 105,696 (BLT 1 antagonist) > > 20-COOH-LTB 4 ≥ resolvin E 1 (RVE 1 ). In contrast, the fMLP- and IL-8-mediated responses we tested were not affected by the LTB 4 metabolites or RVE 1 . 20-OH-LTB 4 and 20-COOH-LTB 4 also inhibited the LTB 4 -mediated migration of human eosinophils but not that induced by 5-KETE. Moreover, using 20-COOH-LTB 4 , LTB 4 , and LTB 4 -alkyne, we show that LTB 4 is a chemotactic, rather than a chemokinetic factor for both human neutrophils and eosinophils. In conclusion, our data indicate that LTB 4 metabolites and RVE 1 act as natural inhibitors of LTB 4 -mediated responses. Thus, preventing LTB 4 ω-oxidation might result in increased innate immunity and granulocyte functions., (©2019 Society for Leukocyte Biology.)

The epidithiodioxopiperazine gliotoxin is a virulence factor of Aspergillus fumigatus, the most important airborne fungal pathogen of humans. Gliotoxin suppresses innate immunity in invasive aspergillosis, particularly by compromising neutrophils, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain elusive. Neutrophils are the first responders among innate immune cells recruited to sites of infection by the chemoattractant leukotriene (LT)B 4 that is biosynthesized by 5-lipoxygenase and LTA 4 hydrolase (LTA 4 H). Here, we identified gliotoxin as inhibitor of LTA 4 H that selectively abrogates LTB 4 formation in human leukocytes and in distinct animal models. Gliotoxin failed to inhibit the formation of other eicosanoids and the aminopeptidase activity of the bifunctional LTA 4 H. Suppression of LTB 4 formation by gliotoxin required the cellular environment and/or reducing conditions, and only the reduced form of gliotoxin inhibited LTA 4 H activity. Conclusively, gliotoxin suppresses the biosynthesis of the potent neutrophil chemoattractant LTB 4 by direct interference with LTA 4 H thereby impairing neutrophil functions in invasive aspergillosis., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by progressive joint inflammation and affects ~1% of the human population. We noted single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the apoptotic cell-engulfment genes ELMO1, DOCK2, and RAC1 linked to rheumatoid arthritis. As ELMO1 promotes cytoskeletal reorganization during engulfment, we hypothesized that ELMO1 loss would worsen inflammatory arthritis. Surprisingly, Elmo1-deficient mice showed reduced joint inflammation in acute and chronic arthritis models. Genetic and cell-biology studies revealed that ELMO1 associates with receptors linked to neutrophil function in arthritis and regulates activation and early neutrophil recruitment to the joints, without general inhibition of inflammatory responses. Further, neutrophils from the peripheral blood of human donors that carry the SNP in ELMO1 associated with arthritis display increased migratory capacity, whereas ELMO1 knockdown reduces human neutrophil migration to chemokines linked to arthritis. These data identify 'noncanonical' roles for ELMO1 as an important cytoplasmic regulator of specific neutrophil receptors and promoter of arthritis.

Poorly controlled diabetes leads to comorbidities and enhanced susceptibility to infections. While the immune components involved in wound healing in diabetes have been studied, the components involved in susceptibility to skin infections remain unclear. Here, we examined the effects of the inflammatory lipid mediator leukotriene B4 (LTB4) signaling through its receptor B leukotriene receptor 1 (BLT1) in the progression of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) skin infection in 2 models of diabetes. Diabetic mice produced higher levels of LTB4 in the skin, which correlated with larger nonhealing lesion areas and increased bacterial loads compared with nondiabetic mice. High LTB4 levels were also associated with dysregulated cytokine and chemokine production, excessive neutrophil migration but impaired abscess formation, and uncontrolled collagen deposition. Both genetic deletion and topical pharmacological BLT1 antagonism restored inflammatory response and abscess formation, followed by a reduction in the bacterial load and lesion area in the diabetic mice. Macrophage depletion in diabetic mice limited LTB4 production and improved abscess architecture and skin host defense. These data demonstrate that exaggerated LTB4/BLT1 responses mediate a derailed inflammatory milieu that underlies poor host defense in diabetes. Prevention of LTB4 production/actions could provide a new therapeutic strategy to restore host defense in diabetes.

Inflammation causes irreparable damage in the cystic fibrosis (CF) lung. Despite high standards of care and the advent of new therapies, inflammation continues to cause significant loss of lung function and morbidity. Acebilustat is a once-daily, oral molecule with anti-inflammatory activity through the inhibition of LTA4 hydrolase and modulation of LTB4. It has potential to reduce lung function decline and pulmonary exacerbations in patients with CF and is currently being tested in a Phase II multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study (EMPIRE-CF). Strict inclusion criteria based on modeling of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Patient Registry data were selected to enrich the trial with patients most likely to benefit from chronic anti-inflammatory therapy that reduces lung function decline. 200 patients between 18 and 30 years of age, with an FEV 1 percent predicted (pp) ≥50%, and ≥1 exacerbation in the past year have been enrolled. Patients are randomized 1:1:1 to placebo, acebilustat 50 mg or 100 mg for 48 weeks, taken concomitantly with their current standard of care, and stratified based on concomitant CFTR modulator use, baseline FEV 1 pp (50% to 75% and >75%), and number of exacerbations in the past year (1 or >1). The primary endpoints are absolute change from baseline in FEV 1 pp and safety outcomes. Secondary endpoints include rate of pulmonary exacerbations and time to first pulmonary exacerbation. Biomarkers of inflammation will also be assessed. EMPIRE-CF is expected to identify the optimal patient population, dose, duration and endpoints for future acebilustat trials, and widen understanding of the drug's efficacy in patients with CF., (Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

To analyze the participation of the enzyme 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) in skin repair, WT wounds were compared to those in 5-LO deficient mice (5-LO -/- ), which presented faster closure and reduced inflammatory infiltrate in the skin, together with increased CD4 regulatory T cells markers in the draining lymph nodes. The 5-LO -/- wounds also had diminished TNF-α, CCL11, CCL7, CCL2, CXCL9, CCR1 and CXCR2 mRNA expression in the lesions, besides differential extracellular matrix remodeling. Furthermore, when cysteinyl leukotriene (cysLT) and leukotriene (LTB 4 ) receptors were antagonized in WT mice, there was a remarkable reduction in TNF-α expression and faster skin healing, similarly to the findings in 5-LO -/- animals. Finally, our results suggested that 5-LO products, in special cysLT and LTB 4 , underline skin inflammation that follows skin injury and their neutralization may be an important strategy to improve cutaneous healing., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

5-Lipoxygenase (5-LO) plays a vital role in the host innate immune response, including bacteria-induced inflammation. Apical periodontitis (AP) is due to immune disorders caused by imbalances between bacterial invasion and subsequent host defense response. In this work, we investigated the role of 5-lipoxygenase in AP by using 5- lo knockout mice (5- lo-/- mice). Results showed that 5- lo-/- mice had greater periapical bone loss and more osteoclasts positive for tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase staining than did wild-type mice, as determined by micro-computed tomography and histologic staining. The inflammation- and osteoclastogenesis-related factors IL-1β, TNF-α, RANK, and RANKL were also significantly elevated in 5- lo-/- mice, whereas osteoprotegerin was reduced. Furthermore, peritoneal macrophages from 5- lo-/- mice revealed an obviously impaired ability to phagocytose the AP pathogenic bacteria Fusobacterium nucleatum. In vivo experiments confirmed that 5- lo knockout led to decreased macrophage recruitment and increased F. nucleatum infection around the periapical area due to decreased leukotriene B 4 and LXA4 production. All these results showed that 5- lo knockout impaired the host innate immune system to promote the release of bone resorption-related factors. Therefore, 5- lo deficiency aggravated AP in an experimental murine AP model.

The presence of mast cells in some human colorectal cancers is a positive prognostic factor, but the basis for this association is incompletely understood. Here, we found that mice with a heterozygous mutation in the adenomatous polyposis coli gene (Apc Min/+ ) displayed reduced intestinal tumor burdens and increased survival in a chemokine decoy receptor, ACKR2-null background, which led to discovery of a critical role for mast cells in tumor defense. ACKR2 -/- Apc Min/+ tumors showed increased infiltration of mast cells, their survival advantage was lost in mast cell-deficient ACKR2 -/- SA -/- Apc Min/+ mice as the tumors grew rapidly, and adoptive transfer of mast cells restored control of tumor growth. Mast cells from ACKR2 -/- mice showed elevated CCR2 and CCR5 expression and were also efficient in antigen presentation and activation of CD8 + T cells. Mast cell-derived leukotriene B 4 (LTB 4 ) was found to be required for CD8 + T lymphocyte recruitment, as mice lacking the LTB 4 receptor (ACKR2 -/- BLT1 -/- Apc Min/+ ) were highly susceptible to intestinal tumor-induced mortality. Taken together, these data demonstrate that chemokine-mediated recruitment of mast cells is essential for initiating LTB 4 /BLT1-regulated CD8 + T-cell homing and generation of effective antitumor immunity against intestinal tumors. We speculate that the pathway reported here underlies the positive prognostic significance of mast cells in selected human tumors. Cancer Immunol Res; 6(3); 332-47. ©2018 AACR ., (©2018 American Association for Cancer Research.)

Candida albicans bloodstream infection causes fungal septicaemia and death in over half of afflicted patients. Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) mediate defense against invasive candidiasis, but their role in protection versus tissue injury and sepsis is unclear. We observe PMN intravascular swarming and subsequent clustering in response to C. albicans yeast in a lethal septic mouse and human pulmonary circulation model. Live C. albicans sequester to the endothelium and are immediately captured by complement-dependent PMN chemotaxis, which is required for host survival. However, complement activation also leads to Leukotriene B4 (LTB4)-mediated intravascular PMN clustering and occlusion, resulting in capillaritis with pulmonary hemorrhage and hypoxemia. This clustering is unique to fungi and triggered by fungal cell wall components. PMN clustering is absent in mice lacking LTB4-receptor, and capillaritis is attenuated upon pharmacological LTB4 blockade without affecting phagocytosis. Therefore, therapeutically disrupting infection-induced capillaritis may limit organ injury without impairing host defense during fungal sepsis., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Leukotriene B4 (LTB4) receptor 1 (BLT1) is a G protein-coupled receptor expressed in various leukocyte subsets; however, the precise expression of mouse BLT1 (mBLT1) has not been reported because a mBLT1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) has not been available. In this study, we present the successful establishment of a hybridoma cell line (clone 7A8) that produces a high-affinity mAb for mBLT1 by direct immunization of BLT1-deficient mice with mBLT1-overexpressing cells. The specificity of clone 7A8 was confirmed using mBLT1-overexpressing cells and mouse peripheral blood leukocytes that endogenously express BLT1. Clone 7A8 did not cross-react with human BLT1 or other G protein-coupled receptors, including human chemokine (C-X-C motif) receptor 4. The 7A8 mAb binds to the second extracellular loop of mBLT1 and did not affect LTB4 binding or intracellular calcium mobilization by LTB4. The 7A8 mAb positively stained Gr-1-positive granulocytes, CD11b-positive granulocytes/monocytes, F4/80-positive monocytes, CCR2-high and CCR2-low monocyte subsets in the peripheral blood and a CD4-positive T cell subset, Th1 cells differentiated in vitro from naïve CD4-positive T cells. This mAb was able to detect Gr-1-positive granulocytes and monocytes in the spleens of naïve mice by immunohistochemistry. Finally, intraperitoneal administration of 7A8 mAb depleted granulocytes and monocytes in the peripheral blood. We have therefore succeeded in generating a high-affinity anti-mBLT1 mAb that is useful for analyzing mBLT1 expression in vitro and in vivo.

Excessive neutrophil infiltration of the lungs is a common contributor to immune-related pathology in many pulmonary disease states. In response to pathogenic infection, airway epithelial cells produce hepoxilin A3 (HXA3), initiating neutrophil transepithelial migration. Migrated neutrophils amplify this recruitment by producing a secondary gradient of leukotriene B4 (LTB4). We sought to determine whether this two-step eicosanoid chemoattractant mechanism could be exploited by the pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. ExoU, a P. aeruginosa cytotoxin, exhibits phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity in eukaryotic hosts, an enzyme critical for generation of certain eicosanoids. Using in vitro and in vivo models of neutrophil transepithelial migration, we evaluated the impact of ExoU expression on eicosanoid generation and function. We conclude that ExoU, by virtue of its PLA2 activity, augments and compensates for endogenous host neutrophil cPLA2α function, leading to enhanced transepithelial migration. This suggests that ExoU expression in P. aeruginosa can circumvent immune regulation at key signaling checkpoints in the neutrophil, resulting in exacerbated neutrophil recruitment.

Ceruloplasmin, an acute-phase protein, can affect the activity of leukocytes through its various enzymatic activities and protein-protein interactions (with lactoferrin, myeloperoxidase, eosinophil peroxidase, serprocidins, and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX), among others). However, the molecular mechanisms of ceruloplasmin activity are not clearly understood. In this study, we tested the ability of two synthetic peptides, RPYLKVFNPR (883-892) (P1) and RRPYLKVFNPRR (882-893) (P2), corresponding to the indicated fragments of the ceruloplasmin sequence, to affect neutrophil activation. Leukotriene (LT) B4 is the primary eicosanoid product of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNLs, neutrophils). We studied leukotriene synthesis in PMNLs upon interaction with Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. Priming of neutrophils with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) elicited the strong regulatory function of P2 peptide as a superoxide formation inducer and leukotriene synthesis inhibitor. Ceruloplasmin-derived P2 peptide appeared to be a strong inhibitor of 5-LOX product synthesis under conditions of oxidative stress.

Objective To evaluate the effect of the phenolic compound naringenin on thermal burn-induced inflammatory responses and oxidative stress in rats. Methods First degree thermal burn injuries were induced in shaved rats by 10 s immersion of the back surface in water at 90℃. Naringenin treatment (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg/day) was initiated 24 h following burn injury, and continued for 7 days. On treatment day 7, serum tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin (PG)E 2 , caspase-3, leukotriene (LT)-B4 and nuclear factor (NF)-κB levels were quantified. Skin sample glutathione (GSH) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) levels, and catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities, were also measured. Results Serum inflammatory biomarkers were significantly increased in thermal-burn injured rats versus uninjured controls. Naringenin significantly inhibited the increased proinflammatory markers at day 7 of treatment. Increased TBARS levels and decreased GSH levels in wounded skin were significantly restored by naringenin treatment at day 7. SOD, catalase, GPx and GST activities were markedly inhibited in wounded skin tissues, and were significantly increased in naringenin-treated rats. Conclusion Naringenin treatment showed anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects in rats with thermal burn-induced injury.

Tissue inflammation is a key component of obesity-induced insulin resistance, with a variety of immune cell types accumulating in adipose tissue. Here, we have demonstrated increased numbers of B2 lymphocytes in obese adipose tissue and have shown that high-fat diet-induced (HFD-induced) insulin resistance is mitigated in B cell-deficient (Bnull) mice. Adoptive transfer of adipose tissue B2 cells (ATB2) from wild-type HFD donor mice into HFD Bnull recipients completely restored the effect of HFD to induce insulin resistance. Recruitment and activation of ATB2 cells was mediated by signaling through the chemokine leukotriene B4 (LTB4) and its receptor LTB4R1. Furthermore, the adverse effects of ATB2 cells on glucose homeostasis were partially dependent upon T cells and macrophages. These results demonstrate the importance of ATB2 cells in obesity-induced insulin resistance and suggest that inhibition of the LTB4/LTB4R1 axis might be a useful approach for developing insulin-sensitizing therapeutics.

Leukotriene B 4 receptor 1 (BLT1), a high-affinity G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) for leukotriene B 4 (LTB 4 ), plays important roles in inflammatory and immune reactions. Although the LTB 4 -BLT1 axis is known to promote inflammation, the binding proteins that modulate LTB 4 -BLT1 signaling have not been identified. Recently, we discovered that receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) interacts with BLT1 and modulates LTB 4 -BLT1 signaling. We propose RAGE as a new class of GPCR modulator and a new target of future GPCR studies.

Asthma is a common chronic disease characterized by bronchial inflammation, reversible airway obstruction, and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR). Current therapeutic options for the management of asthma include inhaled corticosteroids and β2 agonists, which elicit harmful side effects. In the present study, we examined the capacity of phospholipase A2 (PLA2), one of the major components of bee venom (BV), to reduce airway inflammation and improve lung function in an experimental model of asthma. Allergic asthma was induced in female BALB/c mice by intraperitoneal administration of ovalbumin (OVA) on days 0 and 14, followed by intratracheal challenge with 1% OVA six times between days 22 and 30. The infiltration of immune cells, such as Th2 cytokines in the lungs, and the lung histology, were assessed in the OVA-challenged mice in the presence and absence of an intratracheal administration of bvPLA2. We showed that the intratracheal administration of bvPLA2 markedly suppressed the OVA-induced allergic airway inflammation by reducing AHR, overall area of inflammation, and goblet cell hyperplasia. Furthermore, the suppression was associated with a significant decrease in the production of Th2 cytokines, such as IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13, and a reduction in the number of total cells, including eosinophils, macrophages, and neutrophils in the airway., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Swarming behavior of neutrophils has been noticed in both sterile injury and infection models and the mechanisms are being unveiled. So far, no in vitro model has been established to study neutrophil swarming to microbes. In the current study, using live-cell imaging, we observed in vitro neutrophil swarming toward Cryptococcus neoformans, a fungal pathogen causing human meningoencephalitis. Complement C3 and CD11b expression are essential for neutrophils to form cell swarms surrounding C. neoformans. Leukotriene B4 (LTB4) was quickly released by neutrophils during their interactions with C. neoformans. Blockade of LTB4 synthesis inhibited the swarming response to C. neoformans. Importantly, blockade of LTB4 synthesis also significantly reduced neutrophil recruitment in the lung vasculature of mice infected intravenously with C. neoformans, demonstrating a critical role of LTB4 in intravascular neutrophil swarming during infection. Together, this is the first report of neutrophil dynamics of swarming toward a microorganism in vitro, mediated by complement and LTB4., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Airway inflammation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is refractory to corticosteroids and hence COPD treatment is hindered and insufficient. This study assessed the effects of oral treatment with Montelukast (10 and 30 mg/kg) or dexamethasone (20 mg/kg) for 20 days on COPD model induced by chronic exposure to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Six groups of male guinea pigs were studied. Group 1: naïve group, group 2: exposed to saline nebulization. Groups 3, 4, 5, and 6: exposed to 9 nebulizations of LPS (30 μg/ml) for 1 hour, 48 hours apart with or without treatment with Montelukast or dexamethasone. Airway hyperreactivity (AHR) to methacholine (MCh), histopathological study and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) as well as lung tissue analyses were performed 48 hours after the final exposure to LPS (day 20). LPS-induced pulmonary dysfunction was associated with increased neutrophil count, leukotriene (LT) B4, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in BALF. Moreover, there was an increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) level and a decrease in histone deacetylases(HDAC) activity in the lung tissue. Both Montelukast (10 or 30 mg /kg) and dexamethasone significantly reduced neutrophil count in BALF and inflammatory cells in lung parenchyma as well as TNF-α, and MDA levels. However, dexamethasone was more effective (p < 0.05). Montelukast, at a dose of 30 mg /kg, significantly reduced specific airway resistance after the 9th LPS exposure, attenuated AHR to MCh, decreased LTB4 and increased HDAC activity in comparison to dexamethasone. These results suggest that treatment with Montelukast can be useful in chronic airway inflammatory diseases including COPD poorly responsive to glucocorticoids.

Inflammasomes are cytosolic molecular platforms that alert the immune system about the presence of infection. Here we report that zebrafish guanylate-binding protein 4 (Gbp4), an IFNγ-inducible GTPase protein harbouring a C-terminal CARD domain, is required for the inflammasome-dependent clearance of Salmonella Typhimurium (ST) by neutrophils in vivo. Despite the presence of the CARD domain, Gbp4 requires the universal inflammasome adaptor Asc for mediating its antibacterial function. In addition, the GTPase activity of Gbp4 is indispensable for inflammasome activation and ST clearance. Mechanistically, neutrophils are recruited to the infection site through the inflammasome-independent production of the chemokine (CXC motif) ligand 8 and leukotriene B4, and then mediate bacterial clearance through the Gbp4 inflammasome-dependent biosynthesis of prostaglandin D2. Our results point to GBPs as key inflammasome adaptors required for prostaglandin biosynthesis and bacterial clearance by neutrophils and suggest that transient activation of the inflammasome may be used to treat bacterial infections.

Tityus serrulatus sting causes thousands of deaths annually worldwide. T. serrulatus-envenomed victims exhibit local or systemic reaction that culminates in pulmonary oedema, potentially leading to death. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying T. serrulatus venom (TsV) activity remain unknown. Here we show that TsV triggers NLRP3 inflammasome activation via K(+) efflux. Mechanistically, TsV triggers lung-resident cells to release PGE2, which induces IL-1β production via E prostanoid receptor 2/4-cAMP-PKA-NFκB-dependent mechanisms. IL-1β/IL-1R actions account for oedema and neutrophil recruitment to the lungs, leading to TsV-induced mortality. Inflammasome activation triggers LTB4 production and further PGE2 via IL-1β/IL-1R signalling. Activation of LTB4-BLT1/2 pathway decreases cAMP generation, controlling TsV-induced inflammation. Exogenous administration confirms LTB4 anti-inflammatory activity and abrogates TsV-induced mortality. These results suggest that the balance between LTB4 and PGE2 determines the amount of IL-1β inflammasome-dependent release and the outcome of envenomation. We suggest COX1/2 inhibition as an effective therapeutic intervention for scorpion envenomation.

Neutrophils mediate early responses against pathogens, and they become activated during endothelial transmigration toward the inflammatory site. In the current study, human neutrophils were activated in vitro with immobilized extracellular matrix proteins, such as fibronectin (FN), collagen, and laminin. Neutrophil activation by FN, but not other extracellular matrix proteins, induces the release of the granules' contents, measured as matrix metalloproteinase 9 and neutrophil elastase activity in culture supernatant, as well as reactive oxygen species production. Upon contact with Leishmania amazonensis-infected macrophages, these FN-activated neutrophils reduce the parasite burden through a mechanism independent of cell contact. The release of granule proteases, such as myeloperoxidase, neutrophil elastase, and matrix metalloproteinase 9, activates macrophages through TLRs, leading to the production of inflammatory mediators, TNF-α and leukotriene B4 (LTB4), which are involved in parasite killing by infected macrophages. The pharmacological inhibition of degranulation reverted this effect, abolishing LTB4 and TNF production. Together, these results suggest that FN-driven degranulation of neutrophils induces the production of LTB4 and TNF by infected macrophages, leading to the control of Leishmania infection., (Copyright © 2016 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc.)

Neutrophils are essential to the acute inflammatory response, where they serve as the first line of defense against infiltrating pathogens. We report that, on receiving the necessary signals, teleost (Carassius auratus) neutrophils leave the hematopoietic kidney, enter into the circulation, and dominate the initial influx of cells into a site of inflammation. Unlike mammals, teleost neutrophils represent <5% of circulating leukocytes during periods of homeostasis. However, this increases to nearly 50% immediately after intraperitoneal challenge with zymosan, identifying a period of neutrophilia that precedes the peak influx of neutrophils into the challenge site at 18 h after injection). We demonstrate that neutrophils at the site of inflammation alter their phenotype throughout the acute inflammatory response, and contribute to both the induction and the resolution of inflammation. However, neutrophils isolated during the proinflammatory phase (18 h after injection) produced robust respiratory burst responses, released inflammation-associated leukotriene B(4), and induced macrophages to increase reactive oxygen species production. In contrast, neutrophils isolated at 48 h after infection (proresolving phase) displayed low levels of reactive oxygen species, released the proresolving lipid mediator lipoxin A(4), and downregulated reactive oxygen species production in macrophages before the initiation of apoptosis. Lipoxin A(4) was a significant contributor to the uptake of apoptotic cells by teleost macrophages and also played a role, at least in part, in the downregulation of macrophage reactive oxygen species production. Our results highlight the contributions of neutrophils to both the promotion and the regulation of teleost fish inflammation and provide added context for the evolution of this hematopoietic lineage., (© Society for Leukocyte Biology.)

Leukotriene B4 (LTB4) contributes to many inflammatory diseases, including genetic and nongenetic forms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. α-1 Antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency (AATD) is characterized by destruction of lung parenchyma and development of emphysema, caused by low AAT levels and a high neutrophil burden in the airways of affected individuals. In this study we assessed whether AATD is an LTB4-related disease and investigated the ability of serum AAT to control LTB4 signaling in neutrophils. In vitro studies demonstrate that neutrophil elastase is a key player in the LTB4 inflammatory cycle in AATD, causing increased LTB4 production, and associated BLT1 membrane receptor expression. AATD patients homozygous for the Z allele were characterized by increased neutrophil adhesion and degranulation responses to LTB4. We demonstrate that AAT can bind LTB4 and that AAT/LTB4 complex formation modulates BLT1 engagement and downstream signaling events, including 1,4,5-triphosphate production and Ca(2+) flux. Additionally, treatment of ZZ-AATD individuals with AAT augmentation therapy decreased plasma LTB4 concentrations and reduced levels of membrane-bound neutrophil elastase. Collectively, these results provide a mechanism by which AAT augmentation therapy impacts on LTB4 signaling in vivo, and not only reinforces the utility of this therapy for resolving inflammation in AATD, but supports useful future clinical applications in treatment of other LTB4-related diseases., (Copyright © 2015 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc.)

Leukotriene B4 (LTB4), a central mediator of inflammation, is well known for its chemoattractant properties on effectors cells of the immune system. LTB4 also has the ability to control microbial infection by improving host innate defenses through the release of antimicrobial peptides and modulation of intracellular Toll-like receptors (TLRs) expression in response to agonist challenge. In this report, we provide evidences that LTB4 acts on nucleotide-binging oligomerization domain 2 (NOD2) pathway to enhance immune response against influenza A infection. Infected mice receiving LTB4 show improved survival, lung architecture and reduced lung viral loads as compared to placebo-treated animals. NOD2 and its downstream adaptor protein IPS-1 have been found to be essential for LTB4-mediated effects against IAV infection, as absence of NOD2 or IPS-1 diminished its capacity to control viral infection. Treatment of IAV-infected mice with LTB4 induces an increased activation of IPS-1-IRF3 axis leading to an enhanced production of IFNβ in lungs of infected mice. LTB4 also has the ability to act on the RICK-NF-κB axis since administration of LTB4 to mice challenged with MDP markedly increases the secretion of IL-6 and TNFα in lungs of mice. TAK1 appears to be essential to the action of LTB4 on NOD2 pathway since pretreatment of MEFs with TAK1 inhibitor prior stimulation with IAV or MDP strongly abrogated the potentiating effects of LTB4 on both IFNβ and cytokine secretion. Together, our results demonstrate that LTB4, through its ability to activate TAK1, potentiates both IPS-1 and RICK axis of the NOD2 pathway to improve host innate responses.

Bioactive matrix fragments (matrikines) have been identified in a myriad of disorders, but their impact on the evolution of airway inflammation has not been demonstrated. We recently described a pathway where the matrikine and neutrophil chemoattractant proline-glycine-proline (PGP) could be degraded by the enzyme leukotriene A4 hydrolase (LTA4H). LTA4H classically functions in the generation of pro-inflammatory leukotriene B4, thus LTA4H exhibits opposing pro- and anti-inflammatory activities. The physiological significance of this secondary anti-inflammatory activity remains unknown. Here we show, using readily resolving pulmonary inflammation models, that loss of this secondary activity leads to more pronounced and sustained inflammation and illness owing to PGP accumulation. PGP elicits an exacerbated neutrophilic inflammation and protease imbalance that further degrades the extracellular matrix, generating fragments that perpetuate inflammation. This highlights a critical role for the secondary anti-inflammatory activity of LTA4H and thus has consequences for the generation of global LTA4H inhibitors currently being developed.

Leukotriene B4 (LTB4 ) is a lipid mediator that is rapidly generated in inflammatory sites, and its functional receptor, BLT1, is mostly expressed on immune cells. Contact dermatitis is a common inflammatory skin disease characterized by skin oedema and abundant inflammatory infiltrates, primarily including neutrophils and CD8(+) T cells. The role of the LTB4 -BLT1 axis in contact dermatitis remains largely unknown. In this study, we found up-regulated gene expression of 5-lipoxygenase and leukotriene A4 hydrolase, two critical enzymes for LTB4 synthesis, BLT1 and elevated LTB4 levels in skin lesions of oxazolone (OXA)-induced contact dermatitis. BLT1 deficiency or blockade of LTB4 and BLT1 by the antagonists, bestatin and U-75302, respectively, in the elicitation phase caused significant decreases in ear swelling and skin-infiltrating neutrophils and CD8(+) T cells, which was accompanied by significantly reduced skin expression of CXCL1, CXCL2, interferon-γ and interleukin-1β. Furthermore, neutrophil depletion during the elicitation phase of OXA-induced contact dermatitis also caused significant decreases in ear swelling and CD8(+) T-cell infiltration accompanied by significantly decreased LTB4 synthesis and gene expression of CXCL2, interferon-γ and interleukin-1β. Importantly, subcutaneous injection of exogenous LTB4 restored the skin infiltration of CD8(+) T cells in neutrophil-depleted mice following OXA challenge. Collectively, our results demonstrate that the LTB4 -BLT1 axis contributes to OXA-induced contact dermatitis by mediating skin recruitment of neutrophils, which are a major source of LTB4 that sequentially direct CD8(+) T-cell homing to OXA-challenged skin. Hence, LTB4 and BLT1 could be potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of contact dermatitis., (© 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Nucleobase adenine is produced by dividing human lymphoblasts mainly from polyamine synthesis and inhibits immunological functions of lymphocytes. We investigated the anti-allergic effect of adenine on IgE-mediated mast cell activation in vitro and passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) in mice. Intraperitoneal injection of adenine to IgE-sensitized mice attenuated IgE-mediated PCA reaction in a dose dependent manner, resulting in a median effective concentration of 4.21 mg/kg. In mast cell cultures, only adenine among cytosine, adenine, adenosine, ADP and ATP dose-dependently suppressed FcɛRI (a high affinity receptor for IgE)-mediated degranulation with a median inhibitory concentration of 1.6mM. It also blocked the production of LTB4, an inflammatory lipid mediator, and inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-4. In addition, adenine blocked thapsigargin-induced degranulation which is FcɛRI-independent but shares FcɛRI-dependent signaling events. Adenine inhibited the phosphorylation of signaling molecules important to FcɛRI-mediated allergic reactions such as Syk, PLCγ2, Gab2, Akt, and mitogen activated protein kinases ERK and JNK. From this result, we report for the first time that adenine inhibits PCA in mice and allergic reaction by inhibiting FcɛRI-mediated signaling events in mast cells. Therefore, adenine may be useful for the treatment of mast cell-mediated allergic diseases. Also, the upregulation of adenine production may provide another mechanism for suppressing mast cell activity especially at inflammatory sites., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The potent chemokine leukotriene B4 (LTB4) is increased in obesity, and is associated with insulin resistance. A recent article shows that inhibition of its receptor LTB4 receptor 1 (Ltb4r1) improves insulin sensitivity in muscle and liver via cytokine-independent mechanisms, and reduces proinflammatory immune cell infiltration in the adipose tissue., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Insulin resistance results from several pathophysiologic mechanisms, including chronic tissue inflammation and defective insulin signaling. We found that liver, muscle and adipose tissue exhibit higher levels of the chemotactic eicosanoid LTB4 in obese high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice. Inhibition of the LTB4 receptor Ltb4r1, through either genetic or pharmacologic loss of function, led to an anti-inflammatory phenotype with protection from insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis. In vitro treatment with LTB4 directly enhanced macrophage chemotaxis, stimulated inflammatory pathways, reduced insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in L6 myocytes, and impaired insulin-mediated suppression of hepatic glucose output in primary mouse hepatocytes. This was accompanied by lower insulin-stimulated Akt phosphorylation and higher Irs-1/2 serine phosphorylation, and all of these events were dependent on Gαi and Jnk1, two downstream mediators of Ltb4r1 signaling. These observations elucidate a novel role of the LTB4-Ltb4r1 signaling pathway in hepatocyte and myocyte insulin resistance, and they show that in vivo inhibition of Ltb4r1 leads to robust insulin-sensitizing effects.

Tityus serrulatus venom (TsV) consists of numerous peptides with different physiological and pharmacological activities. Studies have shown that scorpion venom increases pro-inflammatory cytokine production, contributing to immunological imbalance, multiple organ dysfunction, and patient death. We have previously demonstrated that TsV is a venom-associated molecular pattern (VAMP) recognized by TLRs inducing intense inflammatory reaction through the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and arachidonic acid-derived lipid mediators prostaglandin (PG)E2 and leukotriene (LT)B4. Lipid bodies (LBs) are potential sites for eicosanoid production by inflammatory cells. Moreover, recent studies have shown that the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) is implicated in LB formation and acts as an important modulator of lipid metabolism during inflammation. In this study, we used murine macrophages to evaluate whether the LB formation induced by TsV after TLR recognition correlates with lipid mediator generation by macrophages and if it occurs through PPAR-γ activation. We demonstrate that TsV acts through TLR2 and TLR4 stimulation and PPAR-γ activation to induce LB formation and generation of PGE2 and LTB4. Our data also show that PPAR-γ negatively regulates the pro-inflammatory NF-κB transcription factor. Based on these results, we suggest that during envenomation, LBs constitute functional organelles for lipid mediator production through signaling pathways that depend on cell surface and nuclear receptors. These findings point to the inflammatory mechanisms that might also be triggered during human envenomation by TsV., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed at establishing the immunological signature and an algorithm for clinical management of the different clinical stages of the HTLV-1-infection based on serum biomarkers. A panel of serum biomarkers was evaluated by four sets of innovative/non-conventional data analysis approaches in samples from 87 HTLV-1 patients: asymptomatic carriers (AC), putative HTLV-1 associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (pHAM/TSP) and HAM/TSP. The analysis of cumulative curves and molecular signatures pointed out that HAM/TSP presented a pro-inflammatory profile mediated by CXCL10/LTB-4/IL-6/TNF-α/IFN-γ, counterbalanced by IL-4/IL-10. The analysis of biomarker networks showed that AC presented a strongly intertwined pro-inflammatory/regulatory net with IL-4/IL-10 playing a central role, while HAM/TSP exhibited overall immune response toward a predominant pro-inflammatory profile. At last, the classification and regression trees proposed for clinical practice allowed for the construction of an algorithm to discriminate AC, pHAM and HAM/TSP patients with the elected biomarkers: IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-10, IL-6, IL-4 and CysLT. These findings reveal a complex interaction among chemokine/leukotriene/cytokine in HTLV-1 infection and suggest the use of the selected but combined biomarkers for the follow-up/diagnosis of disease morbidity of HTLV-1-infected individuals.

Background: Eicosanoids and sand fly saliva have a critical role in the Leishmania infection. Here, we evaluated the effect of Lutzomyia longipalpis salivary gland sonicate (SGS) on neutrophil and monocyte recruitment and activation of eicosanoid production in a murine model of inflammation., Methods: C57BL/6 mice were inoculated intraperitonealy with Lutzomyia longipalpis SGS or Leishmania infantum or both, followed by analyses of cell recruitment, parasite load and eicosanoid production., Results: Intraperitoneal injection of Lutzomyia longipalpis SGS together with Leishmania infantum induced an early increased parasite viability in monocytes and neutrophils. L. longipalpis SGS increased prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), but reduced leukotriene B4 (LTB4) production ex vivo in peritoneal leukocytes. In addition, the pharmacological inhibition of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) with NS-398 decreased parasite viability inside macrophages during Leishmania infection in the presence of L. longipalpis SGS arguing that PGE2 production is associated with diminished parasite killing., Conclusions: These findings indicate that L. longipalpis SGS is a critical factor driving immune evasion of Leishmania through modulation of PGE2/LTB4 axis, which may represent an important mechanism on establishment of the infection.

To explain the successful treatment of various inflammatory diseases by using intensive red light, a non-linear theory is presented for the interaction of electric dipoles with light involving frequency doubling. It is applied to analyze the influence of light on organic molecules with permanent electric dipoles. The molecule 5-hydroxy-12-oxo-(5S,6Z,8E,10E,14Z)-6,8,10,14-eicosatetraenoic acid, 12-oxo-leukotriene B4 (12-Oxo-LTB4, an intermediate in the lipoxygenase-catalyzed path of arachidonic acid metabolism), is suspected to play a major role in the healing process, as, first, it plays a key role in the metabolism of leukotriene B4 (LTB4), which in many diseases acts as a source of inflammatory reactions; second, its dipole resonance is located at a wavelength of 316 nm, which can be excited by a 632 nm source through frequency doubling. From the structure of 12-Oxo-LTB4 and the knowledge of the partial charges of its 54 atoms, the equivalent values for dipole charges and dipole moment are derived. The power balance demonstrates that intensive red light with a power density of 0.4 W/cm2 transfers sufficient energy to 12-Oxo-LTB4 to render it biologically inactive. Hence, by generating a reactive high-energy leukotriene pathway intermediate, the law of mass action steers the chemical equilibrium to interrupt the inflammatory cascade.

High diesel exhaust particle levels are associated with increased health effects; however, knowledge on the impact of its chemical contaminant 1,2-naphthoquinone (1,2-NQ) is limited. We investigated whether postnatal and adult exposures to 1,2-NQ influence allergic reaction and the roles of innate and adaptive immunity. Male neonate (6 days) and adult (56 days) C57Bl/6 mice were exposed to 1,2-NQ (100 nM; 15 min) for 3 days, and on day 59, they were sensitized and later challenged with ovalbumin (OVA). Airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR) and production of cytokines, immunoglobulin E (IgE) and leukotriene B4 (LTB4) were measured in the airways. Postnatal exposure to 1,2-NQ activated dendritic cells in splenocytes by increasing expressing cell surface molecules (e.g., CD11c). Co-exposure to OVA effectively polarized T helper (Th) type 2 (Th2) by secreting Th2-mediated cytokines. Re-stimulation with unspecific stimuli (PMA and ionomycin) generated a mixed Th1 (CD4(+)/IFN-γ(+)) and Th17 (CD4(+)/IL-17(+)) phenotype in comparison with the vehicle-matched group. Postnatal exposure to 1,2-NQ did not induce eosinophilia in the airways at adulthood, although it evoked neutrophilia and exacerbated OVA-induced eosinophilia, Th2 cytokines, IgE and LTB4 production without affecting AHR and mast cell degranulation. At adulthood, 1,2-NQ exposure evoked neutrophilia and increased Th1/Th2 cytokine levels, but failed to affect OVA-induced eosinophilia. In conclusion, postnatal exposure to 1,2-NQ increases the susceptibility to antigen-induced asthma. The mechanism appears to be dependent on increased expression of co-stimulatory molecules, which leads to cell presentation amplification, Th2 polarization and enhanced LTB4, humoral response and Th1/Th2 cytokines. These findings may be useful for future investigations on treatments focused on pulmonary illnesses observed in children living in heavy polluted areas.

Eosinophil accumulation is a defining feature of the immune response to parasitic worm infection. Tissue-resident cells, such as epithelial cells, are thought to initiate eosinophil recruitment. However, direct recognition of worms by eosinophils has not been explored as a mechanism for amplifying eosinophil accumulation. Here, we report that eosinophils rapidly migrate toward diverse nematode species in three-dimensional culture. These include the mammalian parasite Nippostrongylus brasiliensis and the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Surprisingly, collective migration toward worms requires paracrine leukotriene B4 signaling between eosinophils. In contrast, neutrophils show a minimal response to nematodes, yet are able to undergo robust leukotriene-dependent migration toward IgG-coated beads. We further demonstrate that eosinophils accumulate around C. elegans in the lungs of mice. This response is not dependent on bacterial products, CCR3, or complement activation. However, mice deficient in leukotriene signaling show markedly attenuated eosinophil accumulation after injection of C. elegans or N. brasiliensis. Our findings establish that nematode-derived signals can directly induce leukotriene production by eosinophils and that leukotriene signaling is a major contributor to nematode-induced eosinophil accumulation in the lung. The similarity of the eosinophil responses to diverse nematode species suggests that conserved features of nematodes are recognized during parasite infection., (© 2014 Patnode et al.)

Microvascular plasma protein leakage is an essential component of the inflammatory response and serves an important function in local host defense and tissue repair. Mediators such as histamine and bradykinin act directly on venules to increase the permeability of endothelial cell (EC) junctions. Neutrophil chemoattractants also induce leakage, a response that is dependent on neutrophil adhesion to ECs, but the underlying mechanism has proved elusive. Through application of confocal intravital microscopy to the mouse cremaster muscle, we show that neutrophils responding to chemoattractants release TNF when in close proximity of EC junctions. In vitro, neutrophils adherent to ICAM-1 or ICAM-2 rapidly released TNF in response to LTB4, C5a, and KC. Further, in TNFR(-/-) mice, neutrophils accumulated normally in response to chemoattractants administered to the cremaster muscle or dorsal skin, but neutrophil-dependent plasma protein leakage was abolished. Similar results were obtained in chimeric mice deficient in leukocyte TNF. A locally injected TNF blocking antibody was also able to inhibit neutrophil-dependent plasma leakage, but had no effect on the response induced by bradykinin. The results suggest that TNF mediates neutrophil-dependent microvascular leakage. This mechanism may contribute to the effects of TNF inhibitors in inflammatory diseases and indicates possible applications in life-threatening acute edema., (© 2014 Finsterbusch.)

The leukotriene A4 hydrolase (LTA4H) is a bifunctional enzyme with epoxy hydrolase and aminopeptidase activities. We hypothesize that the LTA4H aminopeptidase activity alleviates neutrophilic inflammation, which contributes to cigarette smoke (CS)-induced emphysema by clearing proline-glycine-proline (PGP), a triamino acid chemokine known to induce chemotaxis of neutrophils. To investigate the biological contributions made by the LTA4H aminopeptidase activity in CS-induced emphysema, we exposed wild-type mice to CS over 5 mo while treating them with a vehicle or a pharmaceutical agent (4MDM) that selectively augments the LTA4H aminopeptidase without affecting the bioproduction of leukotriene B4. Emphysematous phenotypes were assessed by premortem lung physiology with a small animal ventilator and by postmortem histologic morphometry. CS exposure acidified the airspaces and induced localization of the LTA4H protein into the nuclei of the epithelial cells. This resulted in accumulation of PGP in the airspaces by suppressing the LTA4H aminopeptidase activity. When the LTA4H aminopeptidase activity was selectively augmented by 4MDM, the levels of PGP in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and infiltration of neutrophils into the lungs were significantly reduced without affecting the levels of leukotriene B4. This protected murine lungs from CS-induced emphysematous alveolar remodeling. In conclusion, CS exposure promotes the development of CS-induced emphysema by suppressing the enzymatic activities of the LTA4H aminopeptidase in lung tissues and accumulating PGP and neutrophils in the airspaces. However, restoring the leukotriene A4 aminopeptidase activity with a pharmaceutical agent protected murine lungs from developing CS-induced emphysema., (Copyright © 2014 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc.)