Bovine alveolar macrophage neurokinin-1 and response to substance P

In this study bovine alveolar macrophage neurokinin-1 (NK-1) and the in vitro response to substance P (SP) exposure were investigated. Bovine alveolar macrophage membrane extracts separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and immunoblotted using anti-NK-1 antiserum demonstrated the presence of an approximately 60 kDa band. Phagocytosis of fluorescent bioparticles by SP-exposed macrophages was 39% greater than that of non-exposed macrophages (P = 0.0089). Likewise, there was 28% greater TNF production by macrophages following SP exposure compared to non-exposed controls (P = 0.116). These results suggest that bovine alveolar macrophages respond to SP at least in part by enhancing phagocytosis and TNF production.