Biphasic accumulation of leukocytes in rat cardiac infarct tissue caused by leukotriene B4 and complement.

An initial increase (3-12 hr) in the polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) counts after ligation of the rat left main coronary artery was reduced by 49.4% (at 12 hr) by a 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor, AA-861 (80 mg/kg, p.o., 1 hr before ligation). Depletion of the complement components induced by cobra venoma factor (CVF) (i.v.), given one day before, resulted in significant reduction in the PMN accumulation after 12 hr (by 63.6% at 24 hr). The combined treatment (CVF+AA-861) suppressed the PMN accumulation by 69.7% (24 hr). The infarct size at 48 hr was also reduced by approximately 36% by either AA-861, CVF or combined treatments.