Production of fibronectin and PGE2 by cultured human alveolar macrophages

Production of fibronectin (Fn) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) by human alveolar macrophages (AM) which were obtained by bronchoalveolar lavage was studied in vitro. AM obtained from patients with idiopathic interstitial pneumonia (IIP) produced much more Fn than those from normal volunteers but produced less amounts of PGE2. We also tested the effect of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), zymosan and albumin-anti albumin complex (alb-anti alb) on production of Fn and PGE2 from AM. LPS, PMA and zymosan suppressed Fn production but stimulated PGE2 production by AM from patients with IIP but indomethacin reversed the suppressive effect of LPS, PMA and zymosan on Fn production. On the contrary, alb-anti alb stimulated Fn production by AM. Furthermore, exogenous PGE2 suppressed Fn production by AM from patients with IIP in a dose-dependent manner. These data suggest that Fn production by AM may be changed by different stimuli or different states of disease, and there is close relationship between the production of Fn and PGE2 by AM.