Concomitant use of prostaglandin E1 and prednisolone; inhibition of superoxide anion production by polymorphonuclear leucocytes.

We investigated the effect of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) or prednisolone on superoxide anion production by polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN) stimulated by opsonized zymosan (OZ). The production of superoxide anion by PMN was significantly suppressed by treatment with either PGE1 or prednisolone. Concomitant use of PGE1 and prednisolone suppressed it significantly more than PGE1 or prednisolone alone. Both PGE1 and prednisolone suppressed the Ca2+ influx into PMN, which was a crucial event for production of superoxide anion in stimulation by OZ. The effect of concomitant use of PGE1 and prednisolone in vivo was confirmed in rat peritonitis. The additional use of PGE1 with prednisolone may provide a strategy to reduce the amount of prednisolone required in treatments.