Endothelin-1 enhances superoxide generation of human neutrophils stimulated by the chemotactic peptide N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine.

Endothelin-1 (ET-1) by itself was not an effective stimulus for inducing the superoxide (O2-) generation of human neutrophils, but it enhanced the O2- generation stimulated by the chemotactic peptide N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP) about 2-fold when the cells had been preincubated with ET-1 for 10 min at 37 degrees C. The concentration at which ET-1 was 50% effective was 1 x 10(-10) M, and the maximal effect was obtained at 1 x 10(-8) M. The enhancement was observed over the range of the effective concentrations of FMLP (10(-8)-10(-6) M). ET-1 did not promote the mobilization of intracellular calcium ions and the enhancing effect of ET-1 did not change when calcium ions were depleted. These findings indicate that ET-1 is a potent modulator of human neutrophils and may thus contribute to the inflammatory process.