Functional changes of alveolar macrophages in carragheenan-induced aspiration pneumonia model mice

Alveolar macrophages (AMs) are cells with unique characteristics because of their localization in the aerobic environment and are receiving stimuli by inhalation. To estimate the functional changes of AMs induced by inflammation, a murine model of aspiration pneumonia was made by an intratracheal injection with carragheenan, whose mortality rate was approximately 25%. The cell component which increased predominantly in the inflammatory site was polymorphonuclear leukocytes, and the number of AMs did not show a remarkable increment. Control group showed a high level of intracellular oxidation of 2'7'-dichlorofluorescin (DCFH) by AMs, while that in carragheenan-treated mice decreased significantly (p < 0.05). There were two populations in AMs classified according to the oxidative activity of DCFH; the population showing high oxidative activity of DCFH was asialo GM1 positive, in contrast, that with lower oxidative activity was asialo GM1 negative. Decrease in DCFH-oxidative activity of AMs in control group was observed after a treatment with KCN or deferoxamine. But in the carragheenan-treated group, this decrease was not observed after treatment with KCN. These results show that both oxygen-derived radical produced in mitochondria, which is inhibited by KCN, and cytoplasmic OH radical, which is selectively inhibited by deferoxamine, are concerned with intracellular oxidation of DCFH by AMs, and that a decrease in DCFH-oxidative activity in the carragheenan-treated group was attributed to the depression of mitochondrial respiration. Nevertheless, increased expressions of Ia and F4/80 in AMs of the carragheenan-treated group were observed and phagocytic activity was well preserved at the control level. These results suggest that AMs may play a crucial role, as well as differentiated phagocytes possessing antigen-presenting ability and/or digestive activity against various types of foreign bodies despite showing an obvious decrement in oxidative activity. These results imply that AMs have a strong oxidative activity and deal with various types of antigens in normal states, but in case of acute inflammation they will change into mature type macrophages with high expression of class II molecules which correlates with an antigen-presenting capacity.