Mechanism for dexamethasone inhibition of neutrophil migration upon exposure to lipopolysaccharide in vitro: role of neutrophil interleukin-8 release.

The mechanism by which dexamethasone (DEX) inhibits neutrophil (PMN) recruitment to a site of inflammation, such as the newborn lung with bronchopulmonary dysplasia, is not completely understood. The aim of our study was to determine whether DEX inhibits neutrophil-induced neutrophil recruitment by inhibition of interleukin- (IL) 8 release from PMNs, and if there are developmental differences. PMNs isolated from cord blood (CB) and adults (A) were studied.

Elevated urinary leukotriene E4 in chronic lung disease of extreme prematurity.

We determined if pulmonary peptidoleukotrienes contribute to the pathogenesis of chronic lung disease of extreme prematurity (CLD) by measuring urinary leukotriene E4 (uLTE4). Study patients had a birth weight < 1000 g and were about 28 d old when they were classified as normal control subjects (n = 8) or as having CLD (n = 26, abnormal chest X-ray, supplemental O2 requirement +/- ventilator). Urinary LTE4 levels were significantly elevated in CLD compared with the control group (288 +/- 92 versus 35 +/- 10 pg/mg creatinine, mean +/- SE, p < 0.

Prolonged pulmonary hypertension caused by platelet-activating factor and leukotriene C4 in the rat lung.

Platelet-activating factor (PAF) and leukotrienes (LTs) are potent pulmonary hypertensive and inflammatory mediators produced by the lung. Previously we showed that a rapid injection of PAF into the pulmonary artery of an isolated rat lung produced an extended elevation in mean pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP). The objective of the present study was to determine whether the extended pressor response induced by PAF was caused by prolonged activation of the 5-lipoxygenase pathway or slow clearance of LTs from the lung parenchyma.

The effects of endocrine therapy on plasma steroids in prostatic carcinoma patients.

Plasma testosterone (T), 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT), T/DHT ratio, estrone (E1), estradiol (E2), E2/T ratio and 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OH-P) were measured in 70 patients with prostatic carcinoma (PCA) (T34, N01, M01), after endocrine therapy including: steroidal estrogens (polyestradiol phosphate = Estradurin monthly in injections of 80 mg; estradiol - 17 beta: 5 mg/d), nonsteroidal synthetic estrogens (DES: 5 mg/d; chlorotrianisene = TACE: 24 mg/d; DES-diphosphate = Honvan: 360 mg/d), orchidectomy and their combinations. All these forms of treatment lowered T, DHT, T/DHT ratio and 17-OH-P, the maximal suppression being observed after castration. No further decrease of the mentioned parameters was achieved by estrogen treatment of castrated patients, as compared with castration alone.

Estradiol and progesterone receptor levels in human breast cancer in relation to cytosol and plasma estrogen level.

Estradiol receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) content along with the cytosol and plasma estrone and estradiol levels in 15 premenopausal and 26 postmenopausal women with breast cancer in different clinical stages (T123, N01, M0) were measured. ER-positive tumor frequency and the ER content tended to be higher in postmenopausal than in premenopausal patients. There was no evidence for a relationship between high cytosol estrogen levels and low receptor measurements.