Objective: To determine whether inflammatory cytokine production by stimulated human alveolar macrophages is affected by perflubron exposure.
Design: Controlled laboratory investigation of alveolar macrophage function in vitro.
Setting: Research laboratory.
Subjects: Cultured alveolar macrophages obtained by bronchoalveolar lavage from eleven normal volunteers.
Interventions: Endotoxin-stimulated alveolar macrophages were treated with perflubron.
Measurements and main results: Alveolar macrophages were stimulated for 1 hr with lipopolysaccharide and then treated with perflubron for 23 hrs. Cell-free supernatants were collected and cytokines were assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1, and interleukin-6 were stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (endotoxin) and all of these cytokines were significantly (p < .05) inhibited by perflubron. Cell viability was not affected by perflubron. Basal cytokine concentrations from unstimulated alveolar macrophages were not altered by perflubron.
Conclusions: Exposure of stimulated human alveolar macrophages to perflubron in vitro decreases cytokine production. This observation suggests that perflubron may have anti-inflammatory activity.