Inflammatory mediators and activity of human peritoneal macrophages.

Human peritoneal macrophages (hp-M phi) are a source of inflammatory mediators. After stimulation in vitro for 24 h with LPS there was a significant increase in cytokine production (IL-1, IL-6 and TNF alpha), but not in the production of eicosanoids from endogenous arachidonate. Leukotrienes are the predominant eicosanoids formed after stimulation with calcium ionophore for 15 min, while prostaglandin formation is insignificant. The fluorescence intensity of TPA-stimulated and DHR123 loaded hp-M phi (a measure of the respiratory burst) increases significantly in a short period of time. Hp-M phi will be useful as a model for testing the effects of anti-inflammatory drugs on eicosanoid and cytokine production and respiratory burst activity in vitro.