The effect of acute feeding of carnitine, acetyl carnitine and propionyl carnitine on basal and A23187-stimulated eicosanoid release from rat carrageenan-elicited peritoneal macrophages

Publisher： Cambridge University Press

E-ISSN： 1475-2662|64|2|497-503

ISSN： 0007-1145

Source： British Journal of Nutrition, Vol.64, Iss.2, 1990-09, pp. : 497-503

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Abstract

Little is known about the ability of carnitine to modulate cell functions. As carnitine plays an important role in lipid metabolism we investigated the acute effect of L-carnitine, L-acetyl carnitine and L-propionyl carnitine (300 mg/kg per d; 4 d) on the basal and calcium-ionophore (A23187)-stimulated release of arachidonic acid metabolites from rat carrageenan-elicited peritoneal macrophages. A decrease in the number of peritoneal carrageenan-elicited macrophages was observed after feeding all three compounds. The basal release of prostaglandin E₂, 6 keto-prostaglandin F_1α and leukotriene B₄ was stimulated by all treatments. In contrast, thromboxane B₂ production was diminished by feeding carnitine and acetyl carnitine. A23187-stimulated synthesis of 6 keto-prostaglandin F_1α and leukotriene B₄ was further enhanced by all three compounds. Acetyl carnitine and propionyl carnitine also enhanced thromboxane B₂ synthesis. However, no effects on prostaglandin E₂ formation were detected. The 6 keto-prostaglandin F_1α: thromboxane B₂ ratio, calculated from the basal and A23187-stimulated values, was increased by carnitine treatment. In the presence of A23187 there was also an increase in the 6 keto-prostaglandin F_1α: leukotriene B₄ ratio. We conclude that carnitine, and possibly some of its derivatives, could modify the macrophage component of an inflammation in vivo.