PRODUCTION OF CYTOKINES AND PROSTAGLANDIN E(2) BY SUBPOPULATIONS OF GUINEA-PIG ENTEROCYTES - EFFECT OF ENDOTOXIN AND THERMAL-INJURY

Background: There is increasing evidence that cells other than immune cells have the potential for producing immunomediators. This study det ermined whether distinct populations of enterocytes from unburned and burned animals responded differently to endotoxin regarding production of tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-1 and -6 and prostaglandin E(2) . Methods: Three subpopulations of enterocytes, progressing from the v illus tip towards the crypt, were obtained from washes of the small in testine, The cells were cultured in the presence of endotoxin, and the supernatants were assayed for the mediators. Results: Thermal injury primed all three populations of enterocytes to produce larger amounts of tumor necrosis factor and interleukin-6 compared to cells from unbu rned animals. Enterocytes that were nearer tile crypt produced the lar gest amounts of the cytokines. Conclusion: These observations may be i mportant because, as gut integrity is compromised after thermal injury , enterocytes that may have previously been unexposed or less exposed to endotoxin can become a significant source of inflammatory cytokines .