The effect of 15-HPETE on airway responsiveness and pulmonary cell recruitment in rabbits

1. In the present study we have investigated the effect of 15-hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acid (15-HPETE) and 15-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (15-HETE) on airway responsiveness to inhaled histamine in rabbits in vivo. 2. 15-HPETE increased airway responsiveness to histamine 24 h after tracheal instillation and this was associated with a cellular infiltration consisting mainly of neutrophils, as measured by bronchoalveolar lavage. The airway hyperresponsiveness induced by 15-HPETE was still present 72 h after tracheal instillation of 15-HPETE, but had returned to baseline values one week post challenge. The number of neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavage remained significantly elevated compared to pre-challenge levels. In contrast to 15-HPETE, the major metabolite 15-HETE, failed to alter airway hyperresponsiveness to histamine despite the recruitment of neutrophils into the lung, suggesting that the effect of 15-HPETE was not secondary to the generation of this metabolite nor dependent on the influx of neutrophils. 3. Both capsaicin and atropine but not the peripherally acting mu-opioid receptor agonist, BW443C (H-Tyr-D-Arg-Gly-Phe(4-NO2)-Pro-NH4), attenuated 15-HPETE-induced hyperresponsiveness. The increased cellular infiltration induced by 15-HPETE was only attenuated by capsaicin. 4. The results of the present study suggest that the release of 15-HPETE into the airways could contribute to sensitization of afferent nerve endings analogous to the hyperalgesia induced by this mediator in skin.