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Biomedical subjects

Charles W Frevert

Publications and source records attributed to Charles W Frevert.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

The Duffy antigen modifies systemic and local tissue chemokine responses following lipopolysaccharide stimulation.

The Duffy blood group Ag (dfy) binds selective CXC and CC chemokines at high affinity and is expressed on erythrocytes and endothelial cells. However, it does not transmit a signal via G proteins, as occurs with other seven-transmembrane receptors. We hypothesized that dfy functions as a chemokine reservoir and regulates inflammation by altering soluble chemokine concentrations in the blood and tissue compartments. We determined whether Duffy Ag "loss-of-function" phenotypes (human and murine) are associated with alterations in plasma chemokine concentrations during the innate inflammatory response to LPS. Plasma CXCL8 and CCL2 concentrations from humans homozygous for the GATA-1 box polymorphism, a dfy polymorphism that abrogates erythrocyte chemokine binding, were higher than in heterozygotes following LPS stimulation of their whole blood in vitro. Similarly, dfy(-/-) mice showed higher plasma MIP-2 concentrations than dfy(+/+) mice following LPS stimulation of whole blood in vitro. We then determined the relative contributions of erythrocyte and endothelial Duffy Ag in modifying chemokine concentrations and neutrophil recruitment in the lungs following intratracheal LPS administration in dfy(-/-) and dfy(+/+) mice reconstituted with dfy(-/-) or dfy(+/+) marrow. Mice lacking endothelial dfy expression had higher MIP-2 and keratinocyte chemoattractant concentrations in the airspaces. Mice lacking erythrocyte dfy had higher MIP-2 and keratinocyte chemoattractant concentrations in the lung tissue vascular space, but lower plasma chemokine concentrations associated with attenuated neutrophil recruitment into the airspaces. These data indicate that dfy alters soluble chemokine concentrations in blood and local tissue compartments and enhances systemic bioavailability of chemokines produced during local tissue inflammation.

Adolescent↗

Measurement of cell migration in response to an evolving radial chemokine gradient triggered by a microvalve.

We describe a novel chemotaxis assay based on the microvalve-actuated release of a chemoattractant from a cell-free microchamber into a cell-containing microchamber. The microvalve chemotaxis device (microVCD) was placed on the stage of a conventional inverted microscope to obtain time-lapse micrographs of neutrophils migrating in a radially-symmetric evolving gradient of the chemotactic factor CXCL8/Interleukin-8. A fluorescent tracer was added to the CXCL8 solution to visualize the evolution of the gradient profile, so that at each time point the cell positions could be assigned CXCL8 concentration values. Tracking of individual neutrophils for 90 minutes showed that (a) the neutrophil migratory response is, on average, radially directed towards the CXCL8 source; (b) significant non-radial displacements occur frequently; and (c) there is considerable heterogeneity in the migration speeds and directions amongst the neutrophil population. A custom-made imaging analysis tool was used to extract measurements of migratory behavior such as speed, velocity along the gradient's radial axis, and the cosine of the turning angle as a function of CXCL8 concentration. The microVCD can be easily adapted to study the migratory behavior of cultured cells other than neutrophils.

Chemotaxis, Leukocyte↗

Mechanical ventilation interacts with endotoxemia to induce extrapulmonary organ dysfunction.

INTRODUCTION: Multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) is a common complication of sepsis in mechanically ventilated patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome, but the links between mechanical ventilation and MODS are unclear. Our goal was to determine whether a minimally injurious mechanical ventilation strategy synergizes with low-dose endotoxemia to induce the activation of pro-inflammatory pathways in the lungs and in the systemic circulation, resulting in distal organ dysfunction and/or injury. METHODS: We administered intraperitoneal Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 1 microg/g) to C57BL/6 mice, and 14 hours later subjected the mice to 6 hours of mechanical ventilation with tidal volumes of 10 ml/kg (LPS + MV). Comparison groups received ventilation but no LPS (MV), LPS but no ventilation (LPS), or neither LPS nor ventilation (phosphate-buffered saline; PBS). RESULTS: Myeloperoxidase activity and the concentrations of the chemokines macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2) and KC were significantly increased in the lungs of mice in the LPS + MV group, in comparison with mice in the PBS group. Interestingly, permeability changes across the alveolar epithelium and histological changes suggestive of lung injury were minimal in mice in the LPS + MV group. However, despite the minimal lung injury, the combination of mechanical ventilation and LPS resulted in chemical and histological evidence of liver and kidney injury, and this was associated with increases in the plasma concentrations of KC, MIP-2, IL-6, and TNF-alpha. CONCLUSION: Non-injurious mechanical ventilation strategies interact with endotoxemia in mice to enhance pro-inflammatory mechanisms in the lungs and promote extra-pulmonary end-organ injury, even in the absence of demonstrable acute lung injury.

Animals↗

Fas-mediated acute lung injury requires fas expression on nonmyeloid cells of the lung.

Fas (CD95) is a membrane surface receptor, which, in the lungs, is expressed in macrophages, neutrophils, and epithelial cells. In mice, Fas activation leads to a form of lung injury characterized by increased alveolar permeability. We investigated whether Fas-mediated lung injury occurs primarily as a result of Fas activation in myeloid cells (such as macrophages) or in nonmyeloid cells (such as epithelial cells). Chimeric mice lacking Fas in either myeloid or nonmyeloid cells were generated by transplanting marrow cells from lpr mice (which lack Fas) into lethally irradiated C57BL/6 mice (MyFas(-) group) or vice versa (MyFas(+) group). Additional mice transplanted with marrow cells from their same strain served as controls (Fas(+) ctr and Fas(-) ctr groups). Sixty days after transplantation, the mice received intratracheal instillations of the Fas-activating mAb Jo2 (n = 10/group), or an isotype control Ab (n = 10/group), and were euthanized 24-h later. Only animals expressing Fas in nonmyeloid cells (Fas(+) ctr and MyFas(-)) showed significant increases in lung neutrophil content and in alveolar permeability. These same mice showed tissue evidence of lung injury and caspase-3 activation in cells of the alveolar walls. Despite differences in the neutrophilic response and lung injury, there was no statistical difference in the lung cytokine concentrations (KC and MIP-2) among groups. We conclude that Fas-mediated lung injury requires expression of Fas on nonmyeloid cells of the lungs. These findings suggest that the alveolar epithelium is the primary target of Fas-mediated acute lung injury, and demonstrate that apoptotic processes may be associated with neutrophilic inflammation.

Animals↗

TLR-4 pathway mediates the inflammatory response but not bacterial elimination in E. coli pneumonia.

We examined the role of Toll-like receptor (TLR)-4 in modifying the lung inflammatory response and its effects on the bacterial recovery from the lungs following inhaled Escherichia coli in two different strains of TLR-4 mutant mice that are hyporesponsive to LPS. The C57BL/10ScN(tlr4(lps-del)) mice containing a deletion mutation in the TLR-4 gene showed lower proinflammatory cytokine levels, lower lung MPO activity, and less parenchymal and peribronchial inflammation compared with the C57BL/10ScSn mice, a related TLR-4 wild-type substrain. However, the C57BL/10ScN(tlr4(lps-del)) mutant showed lower bacterial recovery in the lungs following inhaled E. coli associated with a rapid but transient increase in air space neutrophil counts at 6 h. In comparison, the C3H/HeJ(tlr4(Lps-d)) mutant mice containing a Pro712His substitution in TLR-4 demonstrated lower proinflammatory cytokine levels, lower lung MPO activity, and lower neutrophil accumulation in the air spaces but showed no differences in the bacterial burden of inhaled E. coli at 6 h, when compared with the TLR-4 wild-type C3H/HeSnJ mice. Thus two different TLR-4 mutants showed attenuated inflammatory responses in the lungs, but the reduced inflammatory responses were not consistently associated with either improved or impaired bacterial elimination from the lungs. Our findings indicate that the inflammatory response to inhaled E. coli is TLR-4 dependent, but bacterial elimination depends on other factors in addition to TLR-4.

Administration, Inhalation↗

Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 deficiency amplifies acute lung injury in bleomycin-exposed mice.

Bleomycin-induced lung injury triggers a profound and durable increase in tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 expression, suggesting a potential role for this antiproteinase in the regulation of lung inflammation and fibrosis. TIMP-1 protein induction is spatially restricted to areas of lung injury as determined by immunohistochemistry. Using TIMP-1 null mutation mice, we demonstrate that TIMP-1 deficiency amplifies acute lung injury as determined by exaggerated pulmonary neutrophilia, hemorrhage, and vascular permeability compared with wild-type littermates after bleomycin exposure. The augmented pulmonary neutrophilia observed in TIMP-1-deficient animals was not found in similarly treated TIMP-2-deficient mice. Using TIMP-1 bone marrow (BM) chimeric mice, we observed that the TIMP-1-deficient phenotype was abolished in wild-type recipients of TIMP-1-deficient BM but not in TIMP-1-deficient recipients of wild-type BM. Acute lung injury in TIMP-1-deficient mice was accompanied by exaggerated gelatinase-B activity in the alveolar compartment. TIMP-1 deficiency did not alter neutrophil chemotactic factor accumulation in the injured lung nor neutrophil migration in response to chemotactic stimuli in vivo or in vitro. Moreover, TIMP-1 deficiency did not modify collagen accumulation after bleomycin injury. Our results provide direct evidence that TIMP-1 contributes significantly to the regulation of acute lung injury, functioning to limit inflammation and lung permeability.

Animals↗

Blockade of the Fas/FasL system improves pneumococcal clearance from the lungs without preventing dissemination of bacteria to the spleen.

BACKGROUND: The Fas/FasL system is both proapoptotic and proinflammatory. FasL is inhibited by decoy receptor-3 (DcR3), a naturally occurring decoy receptor. We determined the effects of systemic blockade of the Fas/FasL system by a DcR3 analog (DcR3-a) in mice with pneumococcal pneumonia. METHODS: Streptococcus pneumoniae (7.2 x 105 or 1.9 x 107 cfu/mL) was instilled intratracheally into untreated C57Bl/6 mice, C57Bl/6 mice treated with DcR3-a, or Fas-deficient lpr mice, and the mice were studied 48 h later. RESULTS: After instillation of the lower bacterial dose, disruption of the Fas/FasL system by either DcR3-a or the lpr mutation resulted in improved clearance of bacteria in the lungs (mean +/- SE, 4.6+/-2.1 x 10(6) and 3.5 +/- 1.6 x 10(6) cfu/lung, respectively, vs. 21.9+/-9.3 x 10(6) cfu/lung in untreated C57Bl/6 mice; P<.05) and decreased percentage of polymorphonuclear neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (mean +/- SE, 19.3%+/-9.5% and 20.2%+/-7.8%, respectively, vs. 55.0%+/-12.2% in untreated C57Bl/6 mice; P<.05). These changes were associated with decreased lung concentrations of the proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor- alpha and macrophage inflammatory protein-2 and with a decrease in apoptotic cells in the alveolar walls. CONCLUSION: Blockade of the Fas/FasL system by DcR3-a in the lungs improves clearance of bacteria in mice with pneumococcal pneumonia.

Amino Acid Substitution↗

Innate immunity in the lungs.

Innate immunity is a primordial system that has a primary role in lung antimicrobial defenses. Recent advances in understanding the recognition systems by which cells of the innate immune system recognize and respond to microbial products have revolutionized the understanding of host defenses in the lungs and other tissues. The innate immune system includes lung leukocytes and also epithelial cells lining the alveolar surface and the conducting airways. The innate immune system drives adaptive immunity in the lungs and has important interactions with other systems, including apoptosis pathways and signaling pathways induced by mechanical stretch. Human diversity in innate immune responses could explain some of the variability seen in the responses of patients to bacterial, fungal, and viral infections in the lungs. New strategies to modify innate immune responses could be useful in limiting the adverse consequences of some inflammatory reactions in the lungs.

Animals↗

Gene expression of Toll-like receptor-2, Toll-like receptor-4, and MD2 is differentially regulated in rabbits with Escherichia coli pneumonia.

Sepsis, a common sequela to Gram-negative pneumonia, results in considerable morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients. The goal of this study was to determine whether Gram-negative pneumonia alters the expression TLR2, TLR4, and MD2 in lungs or in organs distant to the site of the primary infection. The cDNA sequence coding open reading frames for rabbit TLR2, TLR4, and MD2 were cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli, and specific polyclonal antibodies and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) probes were produced to identify changes in these receptors in rabbits with Gram-negative pneumonia. Using tissues from lungs and distant organs, we show that TLR2, TLR4, and MD2 gene expression is differentially regulated in rabbits with E. coli pneumonia. The increased expression of TLR2 and TLR4 could play an important role in the innate immune response to bacterial infection in the lungs, and improve pathogen recognition and bacterial clearance. In contrast, the increased gene expression of TLR2, TLR4, and MD2 in organs distant to the primary site of infection may contribute to the deleterious systemic inflammatory response observed in patients with sepsis.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Mechanical ventilation with moderate tidal volumes synergistically increases lung cytokine response to systemic endotoxin.

Previous animal studies have identified a role for activation of innate immunity in the pathogenesis of ventilator-associated lung injury. These studies have used large tidal volume ventilation to study the effect of alveolar overdistension on induction of inflammatory pathways. We hypothesized an alternative mechanism for the pathogenesis of lung injury in which moderate tidal volume ventilation does not independently cause clinical inflammation but rather interacts with innate immune activation by bacterial products, resulting in an enhanced inflammatory response. We measured cytokine expression and lung injury in normal and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated anesthetized rabbits randomized to either spontaneous respiration or mechanical ventilation. Outcome parameters were analyzed by two-way factorial analysis of variance to identify synergism between ventilation and systemic LPS. Mechanical ventilation alone resulted in minimal cytokine expression in the lung but did enhance LPS-induced expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, the CXC chemokines interleukin-8 and growth-related protein-alpha, and the CC chemokine monocyte chemoattractant protein-1. Increased mRNA expression and activation of the transcription factors nuclear factor-kappaB and activator protein-1 accompanied the cytokine responses. We conclude that moderate volume ventilation strategies augment the innate immune response to bacterial products in the lung and may play a role in the development of acute lung injury in patients with sepsis.

Albumins↗

Differential regulation of membrane CD14 expression and endotoxin-tolerance in alveolar macrophages.

CD14 is important in the clearance of bacterial pathogens from lungs. However, the mechanisms that regulate the expression of membrane CD14 (mCD14) on alveolar macrophages (AM) have not been studied in detail. This study examines the regulation of mCD14 on AM exposed to Escherichia coli in vivo and in vitro, and explores the consequences of changes in mCD14 expression. The expression of mCD14 was decreased on AM exposed to E. coli in vivo and AM incubated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or E. coli in vitro. Polymyxin B abolished LPS effects, but only partially blocked the effects of E. coli. Blockade of extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathways attenuated LPS and E. coli-induced decrease in mCD14 expression. Inhibition of proteases abrogated the LPS-induced decrease in mCD14 expression on AM and the release of sCD14 into the supernatants, but did not affect the response to E. coli. The production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha in response to a second challenge with Staphylococcus aureus or zymosan was decreased in AM after incubation with E. coli but not LPS. These studies show that distinct mechanisms regulate the expression of mCD14 and the induction of endotoxin tolerance in AM, and suggest that AM function is impaired at sites of bacterial infection.

Animals↗

Optimal timing to repopulation of resident alveolar macrophages with donor cells following total body irradiation and bone marrow transplantation in mice.

To determine the time required to repopulate mouse lungs with donor alveolar macrophages following total body irradiation (TBI) and bone marrow transplantation (BMT), C57Bl/6 mice were subjected to TBI with 900 cGy, followed by transplantation of bone marrow cells from mice expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) in their somatic cells. The mice were euthanized at either 30 (n=5), 60 (n=5) or 90 (n=5) days following BMT. Thirty days following transplantation, 87.8 +/- 3.9% (mean +/- S.E.M.) circulating leukocytes in recipient mice were derived from the donor, as determined by fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis for GFP. However, only 46.9 +/- 7.4% of the resident alveolar cells expressed GFP, indicating incomplete repopulation. By day 60 post-transplantation, the percentage of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cells expressing GFP reached 74.5 +/- 2.4%, remaining stable 90 days after transplantation (80.4 +/- 1.9%). We conclude that 60 days after TBI with 900 cGy and bone marrow transplantation, the majority of the lung resident alveolar macrophages is of donor origin. This study provides useful information regarding the time of reconstitution with donor alveolar macrophages in the pulmonary airspaces of recipient mice following marrow transplantation.

Adoptive Transfer↗

Differential response of human lung epithelial cells to fas-induced apoptosis.

The Fas (CD95)/Fas ligand (CD178) system plays an important role in epithelial damage during the acute respiratory distress syndrome. The goal of this study was to determine whether proximal and distal human lung epithelial cells differ in their sensitivity to Fas ligand (rh-sFasL), and whether the response of lung epithelium to Fas ligation is modulated by proinflammatory cytokines. Although the expression of both Fas message and protein was similar in proximal and distal lung epithelial cells, only distal cells became apoptotic when exposed to serial dilutions of rh-sFasL. Stimulation with tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1beta, or interferon-gamma significantly increased the sensitivity of proximal cells to rh-sFasL, and exposure to either tumor necrosis factor-alpha or interferon-gamma enhanced the sensitivity of distal cells to Fas ligation. These findings suggest that in normal human lungs, the responses of the epithelium to Fas ligation become more pronounced from proximal to distal locations. Furthermore, proinflammatory cytokines sensitize lung epithelium to Fas-induced death. These findings are relevant for understanding the role of the Fas/FasL system in acute lung injury, in which epithelial damage occurs primarily in distal airway and alveolar epithelium, whereas sFasL is present throughout the airspaces.

Antigens, CD↗

Sepsis and the lung host response.

Sepsis is the leading cause of death in critically ill patients and is the most common risk factor for the development of acute lung injury in medical patients. Initially investigators hypothesized that an excessive proinflammatory response contributed to the pathogenesis of sepsis. However, this hypothesis overlooked the beneficial effects of proinflammatory mediators and the detrimental effects of an excessive anti-inflammatory response. This has led to a new hypothesis where sepsis is characterized by imbalances of the pro- and anti-inflammatory responses, with tissue injury the result of an excessive proinflammatory response and impaired pulmonary host defense the result of an excessive anti-inflammatory response. This article reviews clinical studies and animal models which show that sepsis results in an impaired lung host response to bacteria. Information in this article should provide the reader with an increased understanding of the pathogenesis of sepsis and the realization that new therapeutic strategies for sepsis need to take into account the need to balance pro- and anti-inflammatory responses to maintain pulmonary host defenses and prevent the development of acute lung injury.

Journal Article↗

Enhancement of the endotoxin recognition pathway by ventilation with a large tidal volume in rabbits.

Ventilation with a small tidal volume (V(t)) is associated with better clinical outcomes than with a large V(t), particularly in critical settings, including acute lung injury. To determine whether V(t) influences the lipopolysaccaharide (LPS) recognition pathway, we studied CD14 expression in rabbit lungs and the release of TNF-alpha by cultured alveolar macrophages after 240 min of ventilation with a large (20 ml/kg) vs. a small (5 ml/kg) V(t). We also applied small or large V(t) to lungs instilled with 50 microg/kg of LPS. The alveolar macrophages collected after large V(t) ventilation revealed a 20-fold increase in LPS-induced TNF-alpha release compared with those collected after small V(t) ventilation, whereas TNF-alpha was undetectable without LPS stimulation. In animals ventilated with a large V(t), the expression of CD14 mRNA in whole lung homogenates and the expression of CD14 protein on alveolar macrophages, assessed by immunohistochemistry, were both significantly increased in the absence of LPS stimulation. A large V(t) applied to LPS-instilled lungs increased the pulmonary albumin permeability and TNF-alpha release into the plasma. These results suggest that mechanical stress caused by a large V(t) sensitizes the lungs to endotoxin, a phenomenon that may occur partially via the upregulation of CD14.

Albumins↗

Fas (CD95) induces proinflammatory cytokine responses by human monocytes and monocyte-derived macrophages.

Fas (CD95, APO-1) is regarded as the prototypical cell death receptor of the TNFR superfamily. Fas-induced apoptosis is generally considered to be a noninflammatory process, contributing to the silent resolution of immune and inflammatory responses. However, accumulating evidence indicates that Fas may also induce cellular activation signals. We hypothesized that Fas could activate proinflammatory cytokine responses by normal human monocytes and macrophages. Monocytes were isolated by negative immunoselection from the PBMC fraction of venous blood from healthy volunteers, and monocyte-derived macrophages were cultivated in vitro. Both monocytes and monocyte-derived macrophages released TNF-alpha and IL-8 following Fas ligation, and conditioned medium from Fas-activated monocytes and macrophages induced the directed migration of neutrophils in a chemotaxis assay. Fas-induced monocyte cytokine responses were associated with monocyte apoptosis, nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB, and cytokine gene expression and were blocked by caspase inhibition but not by inhibition of IL-1beta signaling. In contrast, Fas-induced macrophage cytokine responses occurred in the absence of apoptosis and were caspase independent, indicating maturation-dependent differences in the Fas signaling pathways that lead to proinflammatory cytokine induction. Rather than contributing to the resolution of inflammation, Fas ligation on circulating monocytes and tissue macrophages may induce proinflammatory cytokine responses that can initiate acute inflammatory responses and tissue injury.

Apoptosis↗

Duffy antigen facilitates movement of chemokine across the endothelium in vitro and promotes neutrophil transmigration in vitro and in vivo.

The Duffy Ag expressed on RBCs, capillaries, and postcapillary venular endothelial cells binds selective CXC and CC chemokines with high affinity. Cells transfected with the Duffy Ag internalize but do not degrade chemokine ligand. It has been proposed that Duffy Ag transports chemokines across the endothelium. We hypothesized that Duffy Ag participates in the movement of chemokines across the endothelium and, by doing so, modifies neutrophil transmigration. We found that the Duffy Ag transfected into human endothelial cells facilitates movement of the radiolabeled CXC chemokine, growth related oncogene-alpha/CXC chemokine ligand 1 (GRO-alpha/CXCL1), across an endothelial monolayer. In addition, neutrophil migration toward GRO-alpha/CXCL1 and IL-8 (IL-8/CXCL8) was enhanced across an endothelial monolayer expressing the Duffy Ag. Furthermore, GRO-alpha/CXCL1 stimulation of endothelial cells expressing the Duffy Ag did not affect gene expression by oligonucleotide microarray analysis. These in vitro observations are supported by the finding that IL-8/CXCL8-driven neutrophil recruitment into the lungs was markedly attenuated in transgenic mice lacking the Duffy Ag. We conclude that Duffy Ag has a role in enhancing leukocyte recruitment to sites of inflammation by facilitating movement of chemokines across the endothelium.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Binding of interleukin-8 to heparan sulfate and chondroitin sulfate in lung tissue.

Interleukin (IL)-8, a member of the CXC chemokine family, is a potent neutrophil chemotactic factor. Mechanisms that regulate the activity of chemokines in tissue are not clear. The goal of this study was to determine whether IL-8-glycosaminoglycan interactions are responsible for the binding of IL-8 in lung tissue. Experiments were performed with a quantitative tissue-binding assay to measure the amount of 125I-IL-8 binding and an in situ tissue-binding assay to characterize the location of IL-8 binding in lung tissue. Confocal microscopy demonstrated IL-8 binding to specific anatomic locations such as cell surfaces and extracellular matrix that were enriched with heparan sulfate and chondroitin sulfate. Removal of heparan sulfate or chondroitin sulfate from lung tissue significantly decreased the binding of 125I-IL-8. Two forms of IL-8 with single amino acid mutations in the glycosaminoglycan-binding domain showed decreased binding. In addition, studies with normal and monomeric IL-8 showed that dimerization increased the binding of 125I-IL-8 in lung tissue. These findings suggest that IL-8-glycosaminoglycan interactions determine the location where IL-8 binds in lung tissue and provides a site for the dimerization of IL-8, which increases the local concentration of IL-8 in the lungs.

Chondroitin Sulfates↗