Cyclooxygenase inhibitors promote the leukotriene C4 induced release of beta-glucuronidase from rat peritoneal macrophages: prostaglandin E2 suppresses.

The effects of leukotriene C4, indomethacin, aspirin and prostaglandin E2 on macrophage activity were investigated, whereby the release of the lysosomal enzyme beta-glucuronidase was taken as a criterion for cell activity. Leukotriene C4 enhanced the release of beta-glucuronidase as well as the production of prostaglandin E2. Blocking the production of endogenous prostaglandins by adding indomethacin or aspirin resulted in an augmented effect of leukotriene C4. Exogenous prostaglandin E2 could reverse the leukotriene C4 and/or indomethacin induced beta-glucuronidase release. These results support the postulated interaction between leukotriene C4 and prostaglandin E2 with respect to the regulation of macrophage activity, leukotriene C4 being stimulatory, prostaglandin E2 suppressive.