PERFLUBRON DECREASES INFLAMMATORY CYTOKINE PRODUCTION BY HUMAN ALVEOLAR MACROPHAGES

Objective: To determine whether inflammatory cytokine production by st imulated human alveolar macrophages is affected by perflubron exposure . Design: Controlled laboratory investigation of alveolar macrophage f unction in vitro, Setting: Research laboratory, Subjects: Cultured alv eolar macrophages obtained by bronchoalveolar lavage from eleven norma l volunteers. interventions: Endotoxin stimulated alveolar macrophages were treated with perflubron. Measurements and Main Results: Alveolar macrophages were stimulated for 1 hr with lipopolysaccharide and then treated with perflubron for 23 hrs. Cell free supernatants were colle cted and cytokines were assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-l, and interleukin-g were sti mulated by lipopolysaccharide (endotoxin) and all of these cytokines w ere significantly (p <.05) inhibited by perflubron. Cell viability was not affected by perflubron, Basal cytokine concentrations from unstim ulated alveolar macrophages were not altered by perflubron. Conclusion s: Exposure of stimulated human alveolar macrophages to perflubron in vitro decreases cytokine production. This observation suggests that pe rflubron may have anti-inflammatory activity.