Prostaglandin secretion by guinea pig tracheal epithelial cells caused by eosinophil major basic protein.

We examined the effect of eosinophil major basic protein (MBP) on prostaglandin (PG) secretion from guinea pig tracheal epithelial (GPTE) cells. Primary cultures of GPTE cells were incubated with 10(-6) M MBP for up to 6 h and then stimulated with 10(-6) M bradykinin (BK). PGE2, 6-ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha (PGF1 alpha), PGF2 alpha, and thromboxane B2 (TxB2) concentrations in media were determined by enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (EIA). Incubation with MBP for 6 h caused secretion of both PGE2 (17,614 +/- 4,416 vs. 1,426 +/- 555 pg/10(6) cells at baseline, P < 0.001, n = 7) and PGF2 alpha (20,303 +/- 5,724 vs. 3,790 +/- 1.075 pg/10(6) cells at baseline, P < 0.002, n = 7). Secretion of PGE2 and PGF2 alpha stimulated by MBP required at least 2 h. Incubation with MBP for 6 h also augmented the subsequent response to BK: PGE2 secretion was 29,215 +/- 6,853 vs. 3,445 +/- 1,041 pg/10(6) cells for BK alone (P < 0.0001), and PGF2 alpha secretion was 25,407 +/- 6,237 vs. 5,213 +/- 1,535 pg/10(6) cells for BK alone (P < 0.0001). MBP did not change 6-keto-PGF1 alpha and TxB2 secretion. Incubation of GPTE cells from seven animals with polylysine, a protein with mass and ion charge similar to MBP, for 2 h, both caused secretion of PGE2 (8,579 +/- 3,244 vs. 788 +/- 419 pg/10(6) cells at baseline, P < 0.01) and augmented the response to BK (12,732 +/- 4,788 vs. 1,653 +/- 680 pg/10(6) cells after BK alone, P < 0.005).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)