Intratracheal administration of endotoxin and cytokines. VI. Antiserum to CINC inhibits acute inflammation.

Cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant (CINC), a chemotactic molecule of the interleukin (IL)-8 family, is known to be induced in the rat in response to tumor necrosis factor (TNF), IL-1, and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Intratracheal injection of endotoxin (LPS) is shown to cause CINC mRNA expression in pulmonary tissue, peaking after 2 h, and CINC protein expression in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid, peaking after 2-4 h. Intratracheal injection of synthetic CINC causes acute inflammation that is abrogated by coinjection of antiserum to purified natural rat CINC. Intratracheal injection of antiserum to CINC inhibits intratracheal LPS- and IL-1-induced neutrophil emigration into BAL fluid by approximately 60-70%. Despite the anti-inflammatory activity of anti-CINC antiserum, TNF is elevated in the lavage fluid of rats receiving anti-CINC, suggesting that CINC may act in a negative feedback loop to downregulate TNF expression. Intratracheal injection of antiserum to CINC combined with intravenous injection of anti-E-selectin antibody inhibits intratracheal LPS- and IL-1-induced neutrophil emigration into BAL fluid by approximately 75-85%. CINC-mediated chemotactic activity and E-selectin-mediated adherence of neutrophils to endothelium contribute significantly to the pathogenesis of LPS-initiated acute inflammation.