TEMPORAL ANALYSIS OF THE ANTIINFLAMMATORY EFFECTS OF DECENTRALIZATIONOF THE RAT SUPERIOR CERVICAL-GANGLIA

Bilateral decentralization of the superior cervical ganglia (SCG) redu ced the pulmonary inflammation that develops 4-8 h after induction of anaphylaxis in Nippostrongylus brasiliensis-sensitized rats. Histamine levels in peritoneal lavage fluid and rat mast cell protease type II in serum were increased to comparable levels in sham-operated and dece ntralized rats. In vitro stimulation of alveolar macrophages (ALM) wit h lipopolysaccharide (LPS) provoked tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a lpha) release that was two to three times greater with unchallenged de centralized rats than with sham-operated rats. However, after allergen challenge LPS-stimulated TNF-alpha release from ALM of sham-operated rats increased threefold and lasted at least 24 h, whereas with decent ralized rats release of this cytokine actually decreased at 4 and 8 h. The increase in the phagocytosis and respiratory burst of circulating neutrophils seen at 4 and 8 h after allergen challenge in sham-operat ed rats was reduced significantly by decentralization. These results s uggest that the attenuation of anaphylaxis-induced pulmonary inflammat ion that occurs with decentralization of the SCG is primarily associat ed with downregulation of neutrophil and macrophage functions.