Identification of factors from rat neutrophils responsible for cytotoxicity to isolated hepatocytes

Activated polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) have been shown to be cytotoxic to rat hepatic parenchymal cells in vitro. This cytotoxicity could be observed without direct cell‐cell contact, since the conditioned medium from PMNs activated with formyl‐Met‐Leu‐Phe (fMLP) was effective in hepatocyte killing. To identify the toxic factor(s) released by PMNs, degranulation was induced by fMLP in PMNs pretreated with cytochalasin B. The contents released from the phagocytes were subjected to gel filtration on a Sephadex G‐100 column. Resulting fractions were tested for cytotoxicity to isolated hepatocytes by using release of alanine aminotransferase as a marker for hepatocyte injury. Cytotoxicity was associated with fractions containing cathepsin G and elastase and not with other fractions, including those containing myeloperoxidase. The former two enzymes were purified to homogeneity with a carboxymethyl cellulose column. Each of these enzymes demonstrated concentration‐dependent cytotoxicity to hepatocytes at concentrations >2 μg/mL. Moreover, they exhibited an additive cytotoxic effect. Effective concentrations for the combined cathepsin C and elastase in the incubation mixture were similar to the concentrations of these enzymes in PMN‐conditioned medium that produced cytotoxicity to hepatocytes. Cytotoxicity of either purified enzyme or of conditioned medium could be prevented by plasma α‐1‐antitrypsin or soybean trypsin‐chymotrypsin inhibitor, which were also potent inhibitors of enzymic activity of both cathepsin G and elastase. By contrast, the serine protease inhibitors, aprotinin and 4‐(2‐aminoethyl)‐benzenesulfonyl fluoride, were less effective in inhibiting cathepsin G and elastase activities as well as cytotoxicity caused by the purified proteases or PMN‐conditioned medium. These results support the hypothesis that cathepsin G and elastase are important mediators of hepatic parenchymal cell killing produced by activated PMNs in vitro.