Inhibition of calcimycin-induced stimulation of cytosolic calcium in human PMN by a LTB4 receptor antagonist.

This study investigates the significance of PMN-derived LTB4 for PMN activation by using a selective LTB4 antagonist (SC 41930). Human PMN were stimulated by platelet-activating-factor (PAF, 3 microM), a receptor dependent agonist, or by calcimycin (A 23187, 10 microM), a receptor independent agonist. PMN activation was determined by LTB4 release and changes in free cytosolic Ca++ levels. Pretreatment of the PMN with SC 41930 (0.1-10 microM) caused a concentration-dependent inhibition of agonist induced rise in cytosolic Ca++ with both PAF and calcimycin. Interestingly, at the same concentrations of SC 41.930, there was a concentration-dependent inhibition of LTB4 release. Control experiments with a cell-free 5-lipoxygenase preparation did not show any direct effect of SC 41930 on the enzyme under conditions when nordihydroguiaretic acid was active. The data demonstrate a nonselective inhibition of agonist induced PMN activation by the LTB4 receptor antagonist SC 41930 and suggest that formation of endogenous LTB4 is involved in a positive feed-back loop that is required for maximum stimulation of PMN function even by a calcium ionophore.