ACUTE AND CHRONIC
INFLAMATION
By
Ruankha Bilommi, dr
GENERAL FEATURES OF
INFLAMATION
Egyptian papyrus (3000 BC) Celsus
→ rubor, tumor, calor, dolor.
Virchow (1793)→ functio laesa
John Hunter → nonspecific
response that has a salutary effect
on its host
Exogenous and endogenous stimuli
provoke a vascularized connective
tissue → called inflammation
Inflammation → heal and reconstitute the damaged
tissue.
Repair begins during the early phases of
inflammation → the injured tissue is replaced by
parenchymal cells → filling of the defect with
fibroblastic tissue
The inflammatory response occurs in the
vascularized connective tissue → including plasma,
circulating cells, blood vessels, connective tissue
The circulating cells include neutrophils, monocytes,
eosinophils, lymphocytes, basophils, and platelets.
The connective tissue cells are the mast cells,
occasional macrophages and lymphocytes
Acute inflammation → relatively
short duration, minutes, several
hours, few days.
Its main characteristics → exudation
of fluid (edema), emigration of
leukocytes, neutrophils.
Chronic inflammation → longer
duration →
Associated histologically →
presence of lymphocytes and
macrophages, the proliferation of
blood vessels, fibrosis, and tissue
necrosis.
ACUTE INFLAMMATION
vascular phenomena play a major role in
acute inflammation.
Three major components:
1) alterations in vascular caliber → Vascular
dilation (erythema and warmth),
extravasation of plasma fluid (edema),
leukocyte emigrationto the site of injury →
increase in blood flow
2) structural changes in the microvasculature
that permit the plasma proteins and
leukocytes to leave the circulation
3) emigration of the leukocytes from the
microcirculation and their accumulation in
the focus of injury
Vasodilation
Brief arteriolar vasoconstriction
followed by vasodilation
Accounts for warmth and redness
Opens microvascular beds
Increased intravascular pressure
causes an early transudate
(protein-poor filtrate of plasma)
into interstitium (vascular
permeability still not increased yet)
Vascular leakage
Vascular permeability
(leakiness) commences
Transudate gives way to exudate
(protein-rich)
Increases interstitial osmotic
pressure contributing to edema
(water and ions)
Vascular leakage
Five mechanisms known to
cause vascular leakiness
Histamines, bradykinins,
leukotrienes cause an early, brief
(15 – 30 min.) immediate transient
response in the form of endothelial
cell contraction that widens
intercellular gaps of venules (not
arterioles, capillaries)
Vascular leakage
Cytokine mediators (TNF, IL-1)
induce endothelial cell junction
retraction through cytoskeleton
reorganization (4 – 6 hrs post
injury, lasting 24 hrs or more)
Severe injuries may cause
immediate direct endothelial cell
damage (necrosis, detachment)
making them leaky until they are
repaired (immediate sustained
response), or may cause delayed
damage as in thermal or UV injury,
Vascular leakage
Marginating and endothelial cell-
adherent leukocytes may pile-up
and damage the endothelium
through activation and release of
toxic oxygen radicals and
proteolytic enzymes (leukocyte-
dependent endothelial cell injury)
making the vessel leaky
Vascular leakage
Certain mediators (VEGF) may
cause increased transcytosis via
intracellular vesicles which travel
from the luminal to basement
membrane surface of the
endothelial cell
All or any combination of these
events may occur in response to
a given stimulus
Leukocyte cellular events
Leukocytes leave the vasculature
routinely through the following
sequence of events:
Margination and rolling
Adhesion and transmigration
Chemotaxis and activation
They are then free to participate in:
Phagocytosis and degranulation
Leukocyte-induced tissue injury
Margination and Rolling
With increased vascular
permeability, fluid leaves the vessel
causing leukocytes to settle-out of
the central flow column and
“marginate” along the endothelial
surface
Endothelial cells and leukocytes
have complementary surface
adhesion molecules which briefly
stick and release causing the
leukocyte to roll along the
endothelium like a tumbleweed until
it eventually comes to a stop as
mutual adhesion reaches a peak
Margination and Rolling
Early rolling adhesion mediated
by selectin family:
E-selectin (endothelium), P-
selectin (platelets, endothelium),
L-selectin (leukocytes) bind other
surface molecules (i.e.,CD34,
Sialyl-Lewis X-modified GP) that
are upregulated on endothelium
by cytokines (TNF, IL-1) at injury
sites
Adhesion
Rolling comes to a stop and
adhesion results
Other sets of adhesion molecules
participate:
Endothelial: ICAM-1, VCAM-1
Leukocyte: LFA-1, Mac-1, VLA-4
(ICAM-1 binds LFA-1/Mac-1, VCAM-1
binds VLA-4)
Transmigration (diapedesis)
Occurs after firm adhesion
within the systemic venules and
pulmonary capillaries via
PECAM –1 (CD31)
Must then cross basement
membrane
Collagenases
Integrins
Transmigration (diapedesis)
Early in inflammatory response
mostly PMNs, but as cytokine
and chemotactic signals change
with progression of inflammatory
response, alteration of
endothelial cell adhesion
molecule expression activates
other populations of leukocytes
to adhere (monocytes,
lymphocytes, etc)
CHEMOTAXIS
After extravasation, leukocytes
emigrate in tissues toward the
site of injury by a process called
chemotaxis, defined most simply
as locomotion oriented along a
chemical gradient.
Leukocytes follow chemical gradient
to site of injury (chemotaxis)
Soluble bacterial products
Complement components (C5a)
Cytokines (chemokine family e.g., IL-8)
LTB4 (AA metabolite)
Chemotactic agents bind surface
receptors inducing calcium
mobilization and assembly of
cytoskeletal contractile elements
Chemotaxis and Activation
Leukocytes:
extend pseudopods with overlying
surface adhesion molecules
(integrins) that bind ECM during
chemotaxis
LEUKOCYTE ACTIVATION
Production of arachidonic acid
metabolites from phospholipids.
Degranulation and secretion of
lysosomal enzymes and activation of
the oxidative burst.
Modulation of leukocyte adhesion
molecules: Certain chemoattractants
cause increased surface expression.
PHAGOCYTOSIS
Phagocytosis and the release of
enzymes by neutrophils and
macrophages constitute two of the
major benefits derived from the
accumulation of leukocytes at the
inflammatory focus.
Recognition and Attachment
Engulfment
Killing or Degradation
Recognition and Binding
Opsonized by serum
complement, immunoglobulin
(C3b, Fc portion of IgG)
Corresponding receptors on
leukocytes (FcR, CR1, 2, 3)
leads to binding
Phagocytosis and
Degranulation
Triggers an oxidative burst (next
slide) engulfment and formation
of vacuole which fuses with
lysosomal granule membrane
(phagolysosome)
Granules discharge within
phagolysosome and
extracellularly (degranulation)
Oxidative burst
Reactive oxygen species formed
through oxidative burst that
includes:
Increased oxygen consumption
Glycogenolysis
Increased glucose oxidation
Formation of superoxide ion
2O2 + NADPH 2O2-rad + NADP+
+ H+ (NADPH
oxidase)
O2 + 2H+ H2O2 (dismutase)
Degradation and Clean-up
Reactive end-products only
active within phagolysosome
Hydrogen peroxide broken down
to water and oxygen by catalase
Dead microorganisms degraded
by lysosomal acid hydrolases
Leukocyte granules
Other antimicrobials in leukocyte
granules:
Bactericidal permeability
increasing protein (BPI)
Lysozyme
Lactoferrin
Defensins (punch holes in
membranes)
Leukocyte-induced tissue
injury
Destructive enzymes may enter
extracellular space in event of:
Premature degranulation
Frustrated phagocytosis (large,
flat)
Membranolytic substances (urate
crystals)
Persistent leukocyte activation
(RA, emphysema)
Defects of leukocyte function
Defects of adhesion:
LFA-1 and Mac-1 subunit defects
lead to impaired adhesion (LAD-1)
Absence of sialyl-Lewis X, and
defect in E- and P-selectin sugar
epitopes (LAD-2)
Defects of
chemotaxis/phagocytosis:
Microtubule assembly defect leads
to impaired locomotion and
lysosomal degranulation
(Chediak-Higashi Syndrome)
Defects of leukocyte function
Defects of microbicidal activity:
Deficiency of NADPH oxidase that
generates superoxide, therefore
no oxygen-dependent killing
mechanism (chronic
granulomatous disease)
CHEMICAL MEDIATORS OF
INFLAMMATION
Mediators originate either from plasma or
from cells
Plasma-derived mediators → histamine in
mast cell granules are synthesized de novo
(e.g., prostaglandins, cytokines) in
response to a stimulus.
The major cellular sources → platelets,
neutrophils, monocytes/macrophages, and
mast cells. and most epithelia can also be
induced to elaborate some of the
mediators.
Specific mediators
Vasoactive amines
Histamine: vasodilation and
venular endothelial cell
contraction,released by mast cells,
basophils, platelets in response to
injury (trauma, heat), immune
reactions (IgE-mast cell FcR),
anaphylatoxins (C3a, C5a
fragments), cytokines (IL-1, IL-8),
neuropeptides, leukocyte-derived
histamine-releasing peptides
Specific mediators
Serotonin: vasodilatory effects
similar to those of histamine;
platelet dense-body granules;
release triggered by platelet
aggregation
Plasma proteases
Clotting system
Complement
Kinins
Clotting cascade
Cascade of plasma proteases
Hageman factor (factor XII)
Collagen, basement membrane,
activated platelets converts XII to
XIIa (active form)
Ultimately converts soluble
fibrinogen to insoluble fibrin clot
Factor XIIa simultaneously
activates the “brakes” through the
fibrinolytic system to prevent
continuous clot propagation
Kinin system
Leads to formation of bradykinin
from cleavage of precursor
(HMWK)
Vascular permeability
Arteriolar dilation
Non-vascular smooth muscle
contraction (e.g., bronchial smooth
muscle)
Causes pain
Rapidly inactivated (kininases)
Complement system
Components C1-C9 present in
inactive form
Activated via classic (C1) or alternative
(C3) pathways to generate MAC (C5 –
C9) that punch holes in microbe
membranes
In acute inflammation
Vasodilation, vascular permeability, mast cell
degranulation (C3a, C5a)
Leukocyte chemotaxin, increases integrin
avidity (C5a)
As an opsonin, increases phagocytosis
(C3b, C3bi)
More specific mediators
Cytokines
Protein cell products that act as a
message to other cells, telling
them how to behave.
IL-1, TNF- and -, IFN- are
especially important in
inflammation.
Increase endothelial cell adhesion
molecule expression, activation
and aggregation of PMNs, etc.,
etc., etc.
Specific mediators
Nitric Oxide
short-acting soluble free-radical
gas with many functions
Produced by endothelial cells,
macrophages, causes:
Vascular smooth muscle relaxation
and vasodilation
Kills microbes in activated
macrophages
Counteracts platelet adhesion,
aggregation, and degranulation
Specific mediators
Lysosomal components
Leak from PMNs and
macrophages after demise,
attempts at phagocytosis, etc.
Acid proteases (only active within
lysosomes).
Neutral proteases such as
elastase and collagenase are
destructive in ECM.
Counteracted by serum and ECM
anti-proteases.
Possible outcomes of acute
inflammation
Complete resolution
Little tissue damage
Capable of regeneration
Scarring (fibrosis)
In tissues unable to regenerate
Excessive fibrin deposition
organized into fibrous tissue
Outcomes (cont’d)
Abscess formation occurs with
some bacterial or fungal
infections
Progression to chronic
inflammation (next)
Chronic inflammation arises
Persistent infections by certain microorganisms,
such as tubercle bacilli → Treponema pallidum
(causative organism of syphilis).
Prolonged exposure to potentially toxic agents,
either exogenous or endogenous → Atherosclerosis
is thought to be a chronic inflammatory process of
the arterial wall induced by endogenous toxic
plasma lipid components.
Autoimmunity → autoantigens evoke a self-
perpetuating immune reaction that results in several
common chronic inflammatory diseases, such as
rheumatoid arthritis and lupus erythematosus.
CHRONIC INFLAMMATION
Chronic inflammation is characterized by
1. Infiltration with mononuclear cells, which
include macrophages, lymphocytes, and
plasma cells.
2. Tissue destruction, induced by the
inflammatory cells.
3. Attempts at healing by connective tissue
replacement of damaged tissue,
accomplished by proliferation of small
blood vessels ( angiogenesis) and, in
particular, fibrosis
Mononuclear phagocyte
system
Macrophages
Scattered all over (microglia,
Kupffer cells, sinus histiocytes,
alveolar macrophages, etc.
Circulate as monocytes and reach
site of injury within 24 – 48 hrs
and transform
Become activated by T cell-
derived cytokines, endotoxins, and
other products of inflammation
T and B lymphocytes
Antigen-activated (via
macrophages and dendritic cells)
Release macrophage-activating
cytokines (in turn, macrophages
release lymphocyte-activating
cytokines until inflammatory
stimulus is removed)
Plasma cells
Terminally differentiated B cells
Produce antibodies
Eosinophils
Found especially at sites of
parasitic infection, or at allergic
(IgE-mediated) sites
Chronic inflammation in the
lung
three characteristic histologic features:
collection of chronic inflammatory
cells
destruction of parenchyma, normal
alveoli are replaced by spaces lined
by cuboidal epithelium, arrowheads
replacement by connective tissue
Granulomatous Inflammation
Clusters of T cell-activated
macrophages, which engulf and
surround indigestible foreign
bodies (mycobacteria, H.
capsulatum, silica, suture
material)
Resemble squamous cells,
therefore called “epithelioid”
granulomas
Lymph Nodes and Lymphatics
Lymphatics drain tissues
Flow increased in inflammation
Antigen to the lymph node
Toxins, infectious agents also to
the node
Lymphadenitis, lymphangitis
Usually contained there, otherwise
bacteremia ensues
Tissue-resident macrophages must
then prevent overwhelming infection
Patterns of acute and chronic
inflammation
Serous
Watery, protein-poor effusion (e.g.,
blister)
Fibrinous
Fibrin accumulation
Either entirely removed or
becomes fibrotic
Suppurative
Presence of pus (pyogenic staph
spp.)
Often walled-off if persistent
SYSTEMIC EFFECTS OF
INFLAMMATION
Cytokines play a key role in signaling a fever → IL-
1, IL-6, and TNF-alpha → produced by leukocytes
→ released into the circulation → primary
endogenous pyrogens.
Cytokines signal → 4 mechanisms to cause fever
1) enter the brain through regions lacking a blood-
brain barrier.
2) cross the blood-brain barrier by specific transport
mechanisms.
3) transmit a signal to the brain via the vagus nerve.
4) activate brain vasculature stimulating release of
mediators such as prostaglandins (PGE), cytokines
→ act on brain parenchymal cells.
The signal is transmitted from the anterior →
posterior hypothalamus → vasomotor center →
responses
FEVER
Endocrine and metabolic → Secretion of acute-
phase proteins by the liver (including C-reactive
protein [CRP], serum amyloid A [SAA] → increased
production of glucocorticoids, activating a stress
response → decreased secretion of vasopressin →
reducing the volume of body fluid.
Autonomic → A redirection in blood flow from
cutaneous to deep vascular beds, to minimize heat
loss through the skin → increased pulse and blood
pressure → and decreased sweating.
Behavioral → Rigors (shivering), chills, anorexia,
somnolence, and malaise.
