Bradykinin stimulates IL-8 production in cultured human airway smooth muscle cells: role of cyclooxygenase products.

IL-8 is an important neutrophil and eosinophil chemoattractant in asthma. A recent report has suggested that bradykinin (BK), an asthmatic mediator, induces the release of IL-8 in nonairway cells. We have recently reported that BK causes cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 induction and PGE2 release in human airway smooth muscle (ASM) cells. In this study, we tested the ability of BK to induce IL-8 from these cells and explored the role of COX products and COX-2 induction in this process. Confluent serum-deprived human ASM cells were studied. IL-8 was assayed by specific ELISA. Unstimulated cells released low levels of IL-8. BK enhanced IL-8 release in a concentration- and time-dependent fashion (maximum 50-fold increase over basal). The nonselective COX inhibitor indomethacin and the selective COX-2 inhibitor NS-398 strongly inhibited BK-stimulated PGE2 and IL-8 production. The COX substrate arachidonic acid also caused PGE2 and IL-8 production, and its effect was inhibited by nonselective COX inhibitors but unaffected by NS-398. Both the BK- and arachidonic acid-induced IL-8 production was inhibited by the protein synthesis inhibitors cycloheximide and actinomycin D and by the steroid dexamethasone. Furthermore, exogenous PGE2 and calcium ionophore A23187 also stimulated IL-8 release. BK-induced IL-8 release was mimicked by the BK B2 receptor agonist (Tyr(Me)8)-BK and was potently inhibited by the selective B2 receptor antagonist HOE-140. These results suggest that human ASM can be a source of IL-8 and also that endogenous prostanoids, involving both COX-1 and COX-2, have a novel role in mediating BK-induced IL-8 production.