Abstract
Objective—To determine cytotoxic effects of activated polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) and peroxynitrite on bovine mammary secretory epithelial cells before and after addition of nitric oxide synthase inhibitors, myeloperoxidase (MPO) inhibitors, and free-radical scavengers.
Sample Population—Polymorphonuclear neutrophils from 3 lactating cows.
Procedure—Cells from the bovine mammary epithelial cell line MAC-T were cultured. Monolayers were treated with activated bovine PMN, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), 3-morpholino- sydnonimine (SIN-1), 4-amino-benzoic acid hydrazide (ABAH), NG-monomethyl-L-arginine, histidine, and superoxide dismutase (SOD). At 24 hours, activity of lactate dehydrogenase in culture medium was used as a relative index of cell death. Tyrosine nitration of proteins in MAC-T cell lysates was determined by visual examination of immunoblots.
Results—Lipopolysaccharide, PMA, and ≤ 0.1 mM SIN-1 were not toxic to MAC-T cells. Activated PMN, ≥ 6 mg of histidine/ml, and 0.5 mM SIN-1 were toxic. Together, histidine and 500,000 activated PMN/ml also were toxic. NG-monomethyl-L-arginine did not have an effect, but ABAH decreased PMN-mediated cytotoxicity. Ten and 50 U of SOD/ml protected MACT cells from cytotoxic effects of 0.5 mM SIN-1. Compared with control samples, nitration of MAC-T tyrosine residues decreased after addition of 500,000 PMN/ml or ≥ 6 mg of histidine/ml. Superoxide dismutase increased and SIN-1 decreased tyrosine nitration of MAC-T cell proteins in a dose-responsive manner.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Peroxynitrite, MPO, and histidine are toxic to mammary secretory epithelial cells. Superoxide dismutase and inhibition of MPO activity mitigate these effects. Nitration of MAC-T cell tyrosine residues may be positively associated with viability. (Am J Vet Res 2001;62:286–293)
