The effect of some anti-inflammatory agents on elastase release from neutrophils in-vitro.

In view of the potential role of released polymorphonuclear leucocyte elastase in causing tissue damage, the effect of commonly used anti-inflammatory drugs on elastase release from neutrophils has been studied in-vitro. Elastase release from neutrophils exposed to the synthetic bacterial cell wall peptide N-formyl-L-methionyl-L-leucyl-L-phenylalanine (10(-6) M) was quantitated using a radiometric immunoassay and a functional assay of elastase. Prednisolone and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs inhibited elastase release at concentrations from 0.1 mM-0.1 nM. No inhibition by sulphosalicylic acid, D-penicillamine or chloroquine sulphate was observed. The clinical relevance of these findings is discussed.