Intrapulmonary Administration of Leukotriene B₄ Enhances Pulmonary Host Defense against Pneumococcal Pneumonia

• Published in: Infection and Immunity 2010-05, Vol.78 (5), p.2264-2271
• Main Authors: Mancuso, Peter, Lewis, Casey, Serezani, Carlos Henrique, Goel, Deepti, Peters-Golden, Marc
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Administration, Inhalation; Aerosols; Aerosols - administration & dosage; Animal models; Animals; Antimicrobial agents; Arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase; Arachidonate 5-Lipoxygenase - deficiency; Arachidonic acid; Bacteriology; Biological and medical sciences; Biological Products - administration & dosage; Colony Count, Microbial; Cytokines; Cytokines - analysis; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Immunologic Factors - administration & dosage; Immunostimulation; Infection; Inflammation; Injections, Intraperitoneal; Injections, Intravenous; Intravenous administration; Leukocyte Count; Leukocyte migration; Leukocytes; Leukotriene B4; Leukotriene B4 - administration & dosage; Lipids; Lung; Lung - microbiology; Lung - pathology; Mice; Mice, Knockout; Microbial Immunity and Vaccines; Microbiology; Miscellaneous; Monocytes; NAD(P)H oxidase; Oxidation; Phagocytes; Pneumonia; Pneumonia, Pneumococcal - drug therapy; Pneumonia, Pneumococcal - immunology; Streptococcus pneumoniae; Streptococcus pneumoniae - immunology
• ISSN: 0019-9567; 1098-5522
• DOI: 10.1128/IAI.01323-09

Leukotriene B₄ (LTB₄) is a potent lipid mediator of inflammation formed by the 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO)-catalyzed oxidation of arachidonic acid. We have previously shown that (i) LTB₄ is generated during infection, (ii) its biosynthesis is essential for optimal antimicrobial host defense, (iii) LT deficiency is associated with clinical states of immunocompromise, and (iv) exogenous LTB₄ augments antimicrobial functions in phagocytes. Here, we sought to determine whether the administration of LTB₄ has therapeutic potential in a mouse model of pneumonia. Wild-type and 5-LO knockout mice were challenged with Streptococcus pneumoniae via the intranasal route, and bacterial burdens, leukocyte counts, and cytokine levels were determined. LTB₄ was administered via the intraperitoneal, intravenous, and intranasal routes prior to pneumococcal infection and by aerosol 24 h following infection. Leukocytes recovered from mice given S. pneumoniae and treated with aerosolized LTB₄ were evaluated for expression levels of the p47phox subunit of NADPH oxidase. Intrapulmonary but not systemic pretreatment with LTB₄ significantly reduced the lung S. pneumoniae burden in wild-type mice. Aerosolized LTB₄ was effective at improving lung bacterial clearance when administered postinoculation in animals with established infection and exhibited greater potency in 5-LO knockout animals, which also exhibited greater baseline susceptibility. Augmented bacterial clearance in response to LTB₄ was associated with enhanced monocyte recruitment and leukocyte expression of p47phox. The results of the current study in an animal model serve as a proof of concept for the potential utility of treatment with aerosolized LTB₄ as an immunostimulatory strategy in patients with bacterial pneumonia.