Concentration-dependent regulatory effects of prostaglandin E1 on human neutrophil function in vitro

Prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) has recently been used clinically as a purported modulator of activated neutrophils in certain forms of the adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We now report that PGE1 does not have a uniform inhibitory effect upon human neutrophil functions in vitro. Cells were first pretreated with PGE1 followed by incubation with either N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP), phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), or C5a. Lysosomal enzyme release (myeloperoxidase, lysozyme), superoxide anion generation, and chemotaxis were then quantitated. PGE1 alone lacked any appreciable effect on these neutrophil functions. However, neutrophils pretreated with PGE1 (50 to 100 microM) followed by stimulation with FMLP (50 nM) showed as much as 40% inhibition of lysosomal enzyme release compared with control values (p less than 0.0005). In contrast, 0.1 nM to 1 microM PGE1 enhanced FMLP-stimulated enzyme release as much as 50% above baseline control values (p less than 0.05). Preincubation with 0.1 nM PGE1 followed by stimulation with variable doses of FMLP also resulted in enhancement of lysosomal enzyme release by as much as 187 +/- 3% of control values. The enhancing but not inhibitory effects of PGE1 were reversible with serial washing of the neutrophil preparations. Enhancement of enzyme release was not observed when either PMA or C5a was used as a stimulus after PGE1 pretreatment. However, cells pretreated with PGE1 (50 to 100 microM) and subsequently stimulated with C5a showed as much as 40% inhibition of lysosomal enzyme release. Preincubation of neutrophils with PGE1 (1 microM) resulted in a slight (15%) enhancement of chemotaxis to FMLP, but it had no significant effect on C5a-induced chemotaxis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)