Release of reactive oxygen species by guinea pig tracheal epithelial cells in vitro

Regulatory and stimulatory mechanisms of H2O2 release from guinea pig tracheal epithelial cells were investigated. Cells in primary culture maintained in a previously described air-liquid interface system released H2O2 to the extracellular space only from the apical side of the cells. The rate of release was 0.044 +/- 0.003 nmol.min-1.mg protein-1. H2O2 release could be stimulated significantly during a 30-min incubation period with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) and platelet-activating factor (PAF). A stimulatory effect of PAF was achieved at concentrations greater than 100 nM and with PMA at concentrations greater than 10 ng (16 nM). When protein kinase C was inactivated with staurosporine, the responses to both PAF and PMA were abolished, whereas the cyclooxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin, did not affect H2O2 generation. When guinea pig tracheal epithelial cells were exposed to sublethal concentrations of extracellular H2O2 (30 microM), H2O2 was detoxified from both apical and basal sides, H2O2 removal being significantly more rapid from the apical side of the cells. These results suggest that tracheal epithelial cells can be stimulated to generate reactive oxygen species into the airway lumen and that this occurs in response to inflammatory mediators that act through protein kinase C. Luminal H2O2 release may have developed as a defense mechanism against microbes, and, similarly, luminal detoxification of H2O2 could represent an important mechanism of modulation of airway inflammation in response to oxidant stress.