The effect of interleukin-1 on recruitment of immune cells into the lung

Antibody forming cells (AFCs), produced in lung-associated lymph after lung immunization, enter the blood and accumulate mainly in the immunized lung. The mechanisms responsible for this recruitment of cells and antibody into the lung are not known. Because interleukin-1 (IL-1) is a chemotactic agent for neutrophils macrophages and lymphocytes, the release of IL-1 in the lung by alveolar macrophages after immunization might be important in recruitment of AFCs into the lung. The objective of this study was to determine if IL-1 insulted into the lung would induce inflammation and recruit AFC and antibody from the blood into the lung. Our data indicate that installation of IL-1 into the lung does increase the percentage of neutrophils present in lavage fluid. However, the doses of IL-1 used did not result in changes, which allowed AFC or antibody to enter the lung.