RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Effect of prostaglandin-E2 on phagocytosis of carbon black and particulate matter by rat alveolar macrophages JF European Respiratory Journal JO Eur Respir J FD European Respiratory Society SP P3865 VO 42 IS Suppl 57 A1 Andrew Balme A1 Rossa Brugha A1 Naseem Mushtaq A1 Jonathan Grigg YR 2013 UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/42/Suppl_57/P3865.abstract AB Background: Alveolar Macrophages (AMs) are responsible for clearing inhaled particles. Since prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) suppresses AMs phagocytosis of opsonised bacteria (Aronoff et al. 2004), we sought to test the hypothesis that that PGE2 suppresses phagocytosis of inhaled particulate matter air pollution in vitro.Methods: Rat AM were pre-incubated in PGE2 (10-6M) then incubated with 10 μg of either ultrafine carbon black (ufCB) or urban Particulate Matter less than 10 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM10) for 1 h. Phagocytosis of PM was assessed using image analysis of 50 AM per experiment. Results were compared using the Wilcoxon signed rank test.Results: PGE2 attenuated AM phagocytosis of both ufCB to 75% of medium control (p <0.05, Figure 1A), and urban PM10 to 76.9% of medium control (p <0.05, figure 1B).Conclusion: PGE2 inhibits AM phagocytosis of ufCB and PM10. This mechanism may contribute to the adverse health effects of poor air quality in conditions associated with increased airway PGE2, such as asthma and COPD.