Effects of diesel exhaust particles on human neutrophil activation.

Diesel exhaust particles (DEP) are associated with respiratory disease and exposure to diesel exhaust induces an inflammatory response associated with marked leukocytic infiltration in the lung. This study examined whether neutrophils are activated by the active component of DEP (methanol extract of DEP [me-DEP]). The authors demonstrated that neutrophils exposed to me-DEP had increased levels of the f-actin content, the surface expression of adhesion molecules, and the release of interleukin (IL-8) and leukotriene B4 (LTB4), superoxide, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-9).

Suppressive effects of diesel exhaust particles on cytokine release from human and murine alveolar macrophages.

Epidemiological studies have shown an increase in the number of hospital admissions for respiratory diseases in association with high concentrations of particulate matter smaller than 10 micro m (PM(10)). Diesel exhaust particles (DEP) are important components of PM(10). This study was designed to test the effect of DEP on the release of cytokines from alveolar macrophages (AMs).

Correlation between cysteinyl leukotriene release from leukocytes and clinical response to a leukotriene inhibitor.

Study Objectives: Antileukotriene drugs are widely used in patients with bronchial asthma, but not all patients show significant clinical improvements, and no factors have been identified that are correlated with the clinical response to these drugs. This study was designed to examine the factors correlated with a response to a leukotriene receptor antagonist, pranlukast, in patients with asthma.

Design: WBC counts, IgE, and ex vivo leukotriene release from leukocytes were measured, and 31 patients with asthma were treated with pranlukast, a leukotriene receptor antagonist, for 4 weeks.