Bronchial
inflammation contributes to a sustained elevation of
airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) in
asthma. Conversely,
omega-3 fatty acid derivatives have been shown to resolve
inflammation in various tissues. Thus, the effects of
docosapentaenoic acid monoacylglyceride (
MAG-DPA) were assessed on inflammatory markers and reactivity of human distal bronchi as well as in a cultured model of guinea pig tracheal rings. Human bronchi were dissected and cultured for 48 h with 10 ng/mL TNF-α or
IL-13. Guinea pig tracheas were maintained in organ culture for 72 h which was previously shown to trigger spontaneous AHR. All tissues were treated with increasing concentrations of
MAG-DPA (0.1, 0.3, and 1 μmol/L). Pharmacomechanical reactivity, Ca2+ sensitivity, and western blot analysis for specific
phosphoproteins and
transcription factors were performed to assess the effects of both
cytokines, alone or in combination with
MAG-DPA, on human and guinea pig airway preparations. Although 0.1 μmol/L
MAG-DPA did not significantly reduce inflammatory
biomarkers, the higher concentrations of
MAG-DPA (0.3 and 1 μmol/L) blunted the activation of the TNF-α/NF κB pathway and abolished COX-2 expression in human and guinea pig tissues. Moreover, 0.3 and 1 μmol/L
MAG-DPA consistently decreased the Ca2+ sensitivity and pharmacological reactivity of cultured bronchial explants. Furthermore, in human bronchi, IL-13-stimulated phosphorylation of CPI-17 was reversed by 1 μmol/L
MAG-DPA. This effect was further amplified in the presence of 100 μmol/L
aspirin.
MAG-DPA mediates antiphlogistic effects by increasing the resolution of
inflammation, while resetting Ca2+ sensitivity and contractile reactivity.