Surgical glove powders differentially modulate macrophage and lymphocyte-derived cytokines and eicosanoids production in vitro

The objective of the present study was to determine the effect of surgical glove powders Biosorb, Keoflo, and CaCO3 and Hydrocote (a powder‐free film; Biogel) on cytokine and eicosanoid production by lipopolysaccharide/phorbol 12‐myristate 13‐acetate activated and unactivated HL60, U937, and RPMI 1788 cells, human monocyte/macrophage, and B lymphocyte cell lines. The unactivated cell culture—conditioned media contained a low level of interleukin‐1α and ‐1β, granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor, and tumor necrosis factor‐α, which significantly increased after activation (p < 0.05). Exposure of unactivated cells to glove powders or Hydrocote (100 µg/ml) had little effect. However, these compounds appeared to have multiple inhibitory and stimulatory action on the production of these cytokines and eicosanoids in lipopolysaccharide/phorbol 12‐myristate 13‐acetate activated cells. For instance, granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor production was inhibited only in U937 cells by Keoflo and CaCO3, whereas, tumor necrosis factor‐α production was stimulated by Biosorb and Keoflo in HL‐60, and CaCO3 was found to be predominantly inhibitory on tumor necrosis factor‐α production by these cells (p < 0.05). Total transforming growth factor‐β1 production was stimulated by Biosorb and Hydrocote in U937 and HL‐60 cells, respectively, but inhibited by Keoflo in U937 cells. However, Biosorb and Keoflo inhibited transforming growth factor‐β1 production in both HL‐60 and RPMI 1788 cells, without any effect on active transforming growth factor‐β1. With regard to eicosanoids, Biosorb and Keoflo stimulated prostaglandin E2 production by RPMI 1788 cells, whereas it was inhibited by all glove powders in HL‐60 cells. Thromboxane B2 production was stimulated by Keoflo and inhibited by CaCO3 and Hydrocote in U937 cells. Finally, Leukotriene B4 synthesis was found to become stimulated by Keoflo, CaCO3, and Hydrocote in both HL60 and RPMI 1788 cells (p < 0.05). These data indicate that exposure of activated, but not unactivated, macrophages and lymphocyte to surgical glove powders and Hydrocote differentially effects the release of cytokines and eicosanoids by these cells. Considering that cytokines and eicosanoids play an important role in mediating the inflammatory and immune responses of wound healing, complications arising from glove powder exposure in vivo may involve mechanisms which alter the type and level of cytokine and eicosanoid production.