The 1994 Lindberg Award. The production of tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-1, interleukin-6, and prostaglandin E2 by isolated enterocytes and gut macrophages: effect of lipopolysaccharide and thermal injury.

Abstract

Increasing evidence shows that cells other than immune cells have the potential for producing cytokines and arachidonate metabolites. It was the purpose of this study to determine whether isolated enterocytes could produce tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-1, interleukin-6, and prostaglandin E2, to compare the production with that of isolated gut macrophages, and to determine whether a difference existed in the production of these mediators after thermal injury. Guinea pigs received a 30% total body surface area burn and were killed 24 hours after injury. Isolated enterocytes and related intestinal macrophages (5 x 10(5) cells/ml) were cultured for 24 hours in the presence and absence of endotoxin, and the supernatants were assayed for the mediators. An increase was seen in production of interleukin-6 by enterocytes and by macrophages after thermal injury. In general enterocytes and gut macrophages produced about the same amounts of the different mediators. In contrast to macrophages from other tissues, enterocytes did not produce more prostaglandin E2 after stimulation with lipopolysaccharide, and with one exception gut macrophages did not produce larger amounts of mediators after stimulation with lipopolysaccharide. Enterocytes may be a significant source of immunomediator production and could contribute to the inflammatory response.