Pseudomonas aeruginosa rhamnolipid causes ciliostasis and cell membrane damage to rabbit tissue, is a secretagogue in cats, and inhibits epithelial ion transport in sheep tissue. It could therefore perturb mucociliary clearance. We have investigated the effect of rhamnolipid on mucociliary transport in the anesthetized guinea pig and guinea pig and human respiratory epithelium in vitro. Application of rhamnolipid to the guinea pig tracheal mucosa reduced tracheal mucus velocity (TMV) in vivo in a dose-dependent manner: a 10-microgram bolus caused cessation of TMV without recovery; a 5-micrograms bolus reduced TMV over a period of 2 h by 22.6% (P = 0.037); a 2.5-microgram bolus caused no overall changes in TMV. The ultrastructure of guinea pig tracheal epithelium exposed to 10 micrograms of rhamnolipid in vivo was normal. Application of 1,000 micrograms/ml rhamnolipid had no effect on the ciliary beat frequency (CBF) of guinea pig tracheal rings in vitro after 30 min, but 250 micrograms/ml stopped ciliary beating after 3 h. Treatment with 100 micrograms/ml rhamnolipid caused immediate slowing of the CBF (P less than 0.01) of human nasal brushings (n = 7), which was maintained for 4 h. Mono- and dirhamnolipid had equivalent effects. The CBF of human nasal turbinate organ culture was also slowed by 100 micrograms/ml rhamnolipid, but only after 4 h (CBF test, 9.87 +/- 0.41 Hz; control, 11.48 +/- 0.27 Hz; P less than 0.05, n = 6), and there was subsequent recovery by 14 h.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

SummaryAn in-vivo skin perfusion technique has been used to study the pharmacological activity in inflamed skin-of patients with allergic contact eczema. Perfusates from 35 out of 45 patients contained a smooth-muscle-contracting agent with prostaglandin-like properties. Solvent partition followed by thinlayer chromatography revealed this activity to be due to a mixture of prostaglandins E and F. This direct evidence supports the view that prostaglandins mediate inflammation in man.

Products of the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa have been shown to slow the beating of human respiratory tract cilia in vitro. We have tested the effects of two of these compounds, pyocyanin and 1-hydroxyphenazine (given as a bolus dose dissolved in 2 microliters Ringer solution), on tracheal mucus velocity of radiolabeled erythrocytes in anesthetized guinea pigs. 1-Hydroxyphenazine (200 ng) caused a rapid slowing of tracheal mucus velocity (maximum fall 47% at 20 min) with recovery by 1 h. The effect of pyocyanin was slower in onset, 600 ng causing 60% reduction in tracheal mucus velocity at 3 h, and no recovery occurred. A combination of pyocyanin and 1-hydroxyphenazine produced an initial rapid slowing equivalent to the same dose of 1-hydroxyphenazine given alone, but the later slowing attributed to pyocyanin was greater than the same dose administered alone. This study demonstrates one mechanism by which products of P. aeruginosa may facilitate its colonization of the respiratory tract.

Mammalian serum and plasma contain an endogenous inhibitor of prostaglandin synthetase (EIPS). Human plasma fractions rich in EIPS show anti-inflammatory activity in vivo. In rats, glucocorticoids raise EIPS activity of plasma and serum. These findings suggest the existence of a natural mechanism of controlling prostaglandin synthesis, possibly related to corticosteroid action.

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