Endotoxin-induced hyperreactivity of the guinea-pig isolated trachea coincides with decreased prostaglandin E2 production by the epithelial layer.

1. Pretreatment of guinea-pigs with endotoxin (1 mg kg-1 b.w., i.p., 4 days before the experiments) results in respiratory airway hyperreactivity in vitro. Dose-response curves with either arecoline or histamine on isolated tracheae from these animals display increased maximal contractions, and decreased EC50 values. 2. Tracheae denuded of epithelium respond with a similar hyperreactivity to histamine as observed in preparations from endotoxin pretreated animals. Removal of the epithelial layer of tracheae from endotoxin pretreated guinea-pigs did not additionally affect the histamine dose-response curve. 3. The cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor indomethacin (10 microM) induces histamine hyperreactivity which is equal in intact and epithelium-denuded tracheae from saline or endotoxin pretreated guinea-pigs. Similar results are obtained with the combined lipoxygenase/cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor nordihydroguaiaretic acid (10 microM). 4. Histamine (0.1 mM) induces an increase in prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) formation by the tracheal spiral in vitro, which is reduced by 34% by endotoxin pretreatment, and by about 60% following epithelium removal irrespective of endotoxin pretreatment. 5. Arachidonic acid (AA, 22 microM) stimulation of the guinea-pig trachea in vitro induces a relaxation, and an increase in PGE2 production. In preparations lacking the epithelium, AA induces a contraction which coincides with a 60% reduced increase in PGE2 formation. These effects are not altered by endotoxin pretreatment. 6. It is concluded that the endotoxin-induced respiratory airway hyperreactivity may be caused by a disturbed ability of epithelial cells to synthesize PGE2. The decreased formation of this prostaglandin is rather the consequence of a diminished liberation of AA from the phospholipid stores than a dysfunction of the cyclo-oxygenase enzyme.