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Cytokines are involved in both host defense and inflammatory lung injury. Recent work from our laboratory and others has demonstrated that in addition to classical immune cells, lung alveolar epithelial cells (or pneumocytes) can also produce cytokines in response to various stimuli. This new knowledge has advanced our view of the host defense system in the lung. The regulatory mechanisms of cytokine production have been studied in great detail at various cellular and molecular levels, but the mechanisms of intracellular cytokine transport are largely unknown. Our recent studies suggest that the cytoskeleton could play an important role in mediating intracellular cytokine trafficking. This could be an important regulatory step for cytokine production. For example, lipopolyssacharide (LPS) induced tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) from rat pneumocytes, which was further enhanced by a microfilament-disrupting agent. LPS also induced macrophage inflammatory protein-2(MIP-2), a chemokine for neutrophil recruitment and activation, from rat pneumocytes. This effect was enhanced by microtubule-disrupting agents. We speculate that both microfilaments and microtubules are involved in regulating cytokine transportation in pneumocytes through different mechanisms. Further investigation in on going in my laboratory. From a clinical perspective, if we understand the mechanisms regulating cytokine production and release from lung alveolar epithelial cells, we may be able to enhance or inhibit release of crucial cytokines depending on the clinical situation.
