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(Chest. 1999;116:95S-97S.)
© 1999 American College of Chest Physicians

Mechanical Ventilation of Various Human Lung Cells In Vitro*

Identification of the Macrophage as the Main Producer of Inflammatory Mediators

Irène Dunn and Jérôme Pugin, MD

* From the Division of Medical Intensive Care, University Hospital of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland. Supported by grants from the Swiss National Foundation for Scientific Research 32-40344.94 and 32-50764.97, the 3R Research Foundation, Switzerland, grant No. 46-96, the Lancardis, and the Prof. Dr. Max Cloëtta Foundations (J.P.), and by a biomedical and natural science research grant, Switzerland (I.D.).

Correspondence to Jérôme Pugin, MD, Division of Medical Intensive Care, Department of Medicine, University Hospital of Geneva, 1211 Geneva 14, Switzerland; e-mail: pugin{at}cmu.unige.ch

Ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) is the result of a complex interplay among various mechanical forces acting on alveoli during mechanical ventilation. Data from animal models strongly suggest that the two main determinants of VILI are alveolar overdistention and the repeated collapse and reopening of alveoli during the ventilatory cycle.1 2 Studies exploring the pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying VILI suggest that these forces probably exert their damaging effects through the initiation of a localized inflammatory response, the latter being responsible for ongoing lung injury.3 It is conceivable that injurious ventilatory regimens participate in lung injury and alveolar inflammation such as that observed during the ARDS. However, direct proinflammatory effects of the physical stress generated by positive pressure mechanical ventilation on lung cells have not been shown. In this work, we identify the lung macrophage as a critical mechanosensor cell capable of triggering lung inflammation in response to pressure/stretching mechanical forces.

Materials and Methods

An in vitro model has been developed in which various isolated lung cell types can be submitted to a prolonged (8 to 36 h) cyclic pressure/stretching strain resembling that of conventional mechanical ventilation.4 Primary human cells or cell lines were cultured on collagen I-coated Silastic membranes (BioFlex; Flexcell International Corp; Hillsborough, NC) that formed the bottom of wells of a 12-well plate; a plexiglass lid was adapted to the plate, bolted down in an airtight manner, and connected to an adult ventilator (Evita 2; Drägerwerk; Lübeck, Germany). Cells were submitted to mechanical ventilation at a frequency of 20 cycles/min in a pressure-limited controlled mode, with a pressure (approximately 70 cm H2O) inducing a vertical Silastic membrane excursion of 6 mm, which corresponded to a mean surface cell stretching of 12%, with a 37°C heated, 100% humid atmosphere containing 74% N2, 21% O2, and 5% CO2. Controls included cells cultured on the same Silastic membranes but not submitted to mechanical ventilation, and cells ventilated in the presence of an agonist for these cells (Table 1) . The following human cell types were tested in the "plastic lung": freshly isolated primary alveolar macrophages, monocyte-derived macrophages, promonocytic THP-1 cell line (ATCC) rendered adherent by phorbol ester treatment, type II-like A549 and bronchial BET-1A epithelial cell lines (ATCC), endothelial ECV (ATCC) and EA · hy926 cell lines (gift from C.J. Edgell), and primary lung fibroblasts (Clonetics; San Diego, CA). Conditioned supernatants were sampled at various times (8, 24, and 32 h) and assayed for the presence of interleukin (IL)-8 in all cell types, and in some cell types for tumor necrosis factor-{alpha} (TNF), IL-6, IL-10, surface expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay techniques, and gelatinases using gelatin zymography. Ventilated and control cells were collected in some experiments, and activation of the transcription factor nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-{kappa}B) in nuclear extracts was assayed using a classical electromobility shift assay.


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Table 1. Human Cell Types Submitted to Mechanical Ventilation In Vitro*

 
Results and Discussion

Using this in vitro model, we tested whether human cells of the monocyte/macrophage, epithelial, endothelial, and fibroblastic lineages secreted IL-8 in response to a pressure/stretching strain resembling that of mechanical ventilation. Measurement of this neutrophil chemokine was particularly relevant since it was found that neutrophil recruitment to the lung was a hallmark of VILI.4 5 Among the various cells tested, the macrophages appeared clearly as the main cellular source for IL-8 (Table 1) . Except for type II-like A549 cells that produced small amounts of IL-8, all the other cell types failed to secrete this chemokine in response to mechanical ventilation (Table 1) . Ventilated macrophages also produced matrix metalloproteinase-9 (gelatinase B), which might be of importance in the remodeling aspect of the injured lung. In addition, activation of "proinflammatory" gene transcription was demonstrated by the findings of the nuclear translocation of activated NF-{kappa}B in macrophages submitted to the pressure/stretching load. Although mechanical ventilation did not per se induce macrophage secretion of TNF and IL-6, the cyclic pressure/stretching strain greatly enhanced the secretion of these mediators when induced by endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide [LPS]) (Table 1) . These results suggest that positive pressure mechanical ventilation may not be too deleterious when applied to normal lungs (only IL-8 secretion and neutrophil recruitment), but may greatly enhance lung inflammation in injured or infected lungs, with production of extremely potent proinflammatory mediators such as TNF and IL-1ß.6 These macrophage-derived cytokines, which have been found in lungs from rodents submitted ex vivo to injurious ventilatory regimens,2 7 may in turn activate other alveolar cell types such as epithelial cells, endothelial cells, and fibroblasts to amplify and propagate the inflammation locally and systemically.8 Of note is the fact that a similar cytokine profile was found in supernatants from macrophages submitted to ventilation and in edema fluid or BAL fluid from patients with ARDS.9 10 It remains unclear which lung macrophage cell type is responsible for the response to mechanical ventilation within the lung parenchyma. Because of its adherence to the interstitial matrix, the interstitial macrophage may represent a better candidate than the loosely adherent alveolar macrophage.

In conclusion, the data presented herein provide the cellular and molecular basis for VILI. They highlight the central role of the lung macrophage in modulating lung inflammation in response to the mechanical stress induced by positive pressure ventilation. Our in vitro model is of particular value to further explore pressure/stretching-induced signaling pathways, as well as for testing the effects of novel ventilatory strategies or adjunctive substances aimed at modulating cell activation induced by mechanical ventilation.

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the group of Dr. L.P. Nicod for the generous gift of alveolar macrophages, and Drs. P. Jolliet and J.-Cl. Chevrolet for stimulating discussions.

References

  1. Dreyfuss, D, Saumon, G (1998) Ventilator-induced lung injury: lessons from experimental studies. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 157,294-323[Free Full Text]
  2. Tremblay, L, Valenza, F, Ribeiro, SP, et al (1997) Injurious ventilatory strategies increase cytokines and c-fos m-RNA expression in an isolated rat lung model. J Clin Invest 5,944-952
  3. Pugin, J, Jolliet, P (1998) Ventilator-induced lung injury: an inflammatory disease? Clin Pulm Med 5,290-299
  4. Pugin J, Dunn I, Jolliet P, et al. Activation of human macrophages by mechanical ventilation in vitro. Am J Physiol 1998; 275:1040–1045
  5. Kawano, T, Mori, S, Cybulsky, M, et al (1987) Effect of granulocyte depletion in a ventilated surfactant-depleted lung. J Appl Physiol 62,27-33[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  6. Pugin, J, Ricou, B, Steinberg, KP, et al (1996) Proinflammatory activity in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from patients with ARDS, a prominent role for interleukin-1. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 153,1850-1856[Abstract]
  7. von Bethmann, AN, Brasch, F, Nusing, R, et al (1998) Hyperventilation induces release of cytokines from perfused mouse lung. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 157,263-272[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  8. Slutsky, AS, Tremblay, LN (1998) Multiple system organ failure: is mechanical ventilation a contributing factor? Am J Respir Crit Care Med 157,1721-1725[Free Full Text]
  9. Pugin, J, Verghese, G, Widmer, M-C, et al (1999) The alveolar space is the site of intense inflammatory and profibrotic reactions in the early phase of acute respiratory distress syndrome. Crit Care Med 27,304-312[CrossRef][ISI][Medline]
  10. Pittet, JF, Mackersie, RC, Martin, TR, et al (1997) Biological markers of acute lung injury: prognostic and pathogenetic significance. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 155,1187-1205[ISI][Medline]



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C. C. Dos Santos and A. S. Slutsky
Cellular Responses to Mechanical Stress: Invited Review: Mechanisms of ventilator-induced lung injury: a perspective
J Appl Physiol, October 1, 2000; 89(4): 1645 - 1655.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


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