The cytotoxic effect of mouse macrophages on syngeneic and allogeneic erythrocytes.

A cytotoxic effect of mouse peritoneal macrophages against syngeneic and allogeneic erythrocytes was demonstrated by isotope release and release of hemoglobin. The cytotoxic effect was dependent on the contact between viable, activated macrophages and target cells. Activation was accomplished by prolonged cultivation of macrophages and by the presence of Zn(++) and Con-A. Immunization did not prove necessary. Morphological observations as well as experiments with various salt concentrations indicate that the cytotoxic reaction may involve some kind of osmotic effect upon the target cells.

Evidence for a cytolytic factor released by macrophages.

Mouse peritoneal macrophages cultivated in vitro acquire a strong extracellular cytotoxic activity towards isotope labeled syngeneic erythrocytes as demonstrated by isotope release to the medium. This lytic process is mediated by an extremely labile macrophage cytolytic factor (MCF) which is not detected under ordinary tissue culture conditions with serum present in the medium. By the use of serum-free medium containing low doses of 2-mercaptoethanol MCF is stabilized and found to be an easily dialysable, low molecular substance which resists heating at 60 degrees C for 30 min.

Mass isolation and culture of rat kupffer cells.

Collagenase perfusion of the liver followed by pronase treatment of the cell suspension thus obtained gave a quantitative recovery of viable nonparenchymal liver cells (NPC). From these NPC, Kupffer (K) cells can be purified by attachment to tissue culture dishes. Tail vein injection of carbon 1-2 h before liver perfusion permitted stepwise calculation as well as visualization of carbon-containing K cells. When these K cells have been put into tissue culture medium with serum and incubated overnight, they exhibit typical macrophage characteristics. Phase-contrast and transmission electron microscopy showed typical macrophage morphology and scanning electron microscopy revealed well-spread cells with cytoplasmic projections and ruffled membranes. Endocytosis studies using radioactive colloidal gold and inert latex particles also indicated that these cells are highly active in pinocytosis and phagocytosis. Further characterization of K cells is the identification of Fc receptor on their membranes. Studies on lysosomal enzymes showed that purified K cells possess higher specific activities in beta-glucuronidase, acid DNase, and cathepsin D than in purified parenchymal cells.

The effect of poly-L-lysine on the uptake of reovirus double-stranded RNA in macrophages in vitro.

The effect of polycations on cultured mouse peitoneal macrophages has been examined. Polycations, at concentrations greater than 5 microg/ml, are toxic for macrophages) as measured by failure of the cells to exclude vital dyes. At toxic concentrations polycations bind in large amounts to nuclei and endoplasmic reticulum, while at nontoxic levels polycations bind selectively to the cell surface. Nontoxic concentrations of polycations stimulate binding of reovirus double-stranded (ds) RNA to the macrophages by forming polycation-dsRNA complexes either in the medium or at the cell surface. These complexes enter the cell in endocytic vacuoles and are concentrated in secondary lysosomes. Despite exposure to the acid hydrolases within this cell compartment, the dsRNA and the polycation (poly-L-lysine) are conserved in a macromolecular form within the vacuolar system. The mechanism(s) by which the uptake of infectious nucleic acids and the induction of interferon by dsRNA are stimulated by polycations are discussed.

T- and B-cell-independent activation of syngeneic macrophages by murine sarcoma cells.

Mouse peritoneal macrophages were achieved by cocultivation with syngeneic sarcoma cells. The tumor cells died progressively during the cocultivation, leaving highly activated marcophages. Because of great changes in macrophage morphology during the activation, special efforts were made to identify the activated cells as macrophages by their ability to phagocytose latex and to bind opsonized sheep red cells to C3 and Fc receptors and by indirect immunofluorescence with an antimacrophage antiserum. Activation was evaluated by morphology and incorporation of [14C]glucosamine. The activation was found to be independent of the presence of T-cells, B-cells, and immunoglobulin bound to tumor cell surfaces. This was shown by removal of T-cells from the system by treatment with anti-theta and complement and by use of nude mice as the macrophage source and for tumor maintenance. Similarly, B-cells were removed by treatment with anti-immunoglobulin and complement as well as adherence to anti-immunoglobulin-coated plastic dishes. Immunoglobulin bound to tumor cells was removed by trypsinization and by elution at low pH. Culture supernatants from tumor cells and cell-free tumor ascites fluid also induced some activation of the macrophages. This activation differed from the coculture activation in both the extent and kinetics of morphological changes and gave only a small increase in [14C]glucosamine incorporation.

A novel immunomodulator soluble aminated beta-1,3-D-glucan: binding characteristics to mouse peritoneal macrophages.

We have previously reported that soluble aminated beta-1,3-D-glucan (AG), a potent immunomodulator, specifically inhibited binding and internalization of AG-coated microbeads (GDM) in mouse peritoneal macrophages. The present study was undertaken to determine parameters of AG binding to macrophages. For this purpose, AG was conjugated with tyraminyl cellobiose (TC), which can be radioiodinated. With this method the immunomodulator was labelled with a very high specific radioactivity, allowing sensitive measurements of binding. Maximal binding capacity was 0.33 micrograms [125I]TC-AG/10(6) cells. Binding was inhibited by TC-AG and AG, but not by mannose and mannan, showing that the receptor different from the mannose receptor was involved. Binding was reversible, with an initial association rate of 120 cpm/min, and a much faster initial dissociation rate of 680 cpm/min. Bound [125I]TC-AG was internalized. These findings suggest that both AG and GDM are bound and internalized via the same beta-glucan receptor in mouse peritoneal macrophages.

Altered cytokine and nitric oxide secretion in vitro by macrophages from diabetic type II-like db/db mice.

Macrophage dysfunction is a likely mechanism underlying common diabetic complications such as increased susceptibility to infection, accelerated atherosclerosis, and disturbed wound healing. There are no available studies on the function of tissue macrophages in diabetes in humans. We have therefore studied peritoneal macrophages from diabetic type 2-like db/db mice. We found that the release of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1beta from lipopolysaccharide plus interferon-gamma-stimulated macrophages and vascular endothelial growth factor from both stimulated and nonstimulated macrophages was significantly reduced in diabetic animals compared with nondiabetic controls. Nitric oxide production from the stimulated db/db macrophages was significantly higher than that in the db/+ cultures, whereas there was no difference in their ability to generate reactive oxygen species. When studied both at light and electron microscopic levels, macrophages in diabetic animals had an altered morphological appearance compared with those of normal controls. We conclude that the function and morphology of the macrophages are disturbed in db/db mice and that this disturbance is related to the mechanisms underlying common inflammatory and degenerative manifestations in diabetes.

Role of mast cells in zymosan-induced peritoneal inflammation in Balb/c and mast cell-deficient WBB6F1 mice.

Zymosan-induced peritonitis was investigated in mast cell-deficient WBB6F1 mice and in Balb/c mice pretreated with mast cell stabilizer (cromolyn) or antagonists of histamine receptors (mepyramine, triprolidine, cimetidine, or ranitidine). The inherited mast cell deficiency in W/Wv knockouts of WBB6F1 mice impaired significantly the level of histamine and plasma exudation (measured 30 min after stimulation) as well as the influx of exudatory leukocytes, accumulation of plasma and exudate chemoattractants, and the release of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, and IL-6) measured at 6 h of inflammation. All of those factors were fully restored after selective intraperitoneal reconstitution of W/Wv mice with bone marrow-derived mast cells from their control +/+ counterparts. Cromolyn pretreatment of Balb/c mice reduced exclusively the early plasma exudation and histamine influx. Blocking of histamine receptors inhibited not only the early plasma exudation but also temporarily diminished primary leukocyte influx and levels of MCP-1 and IL-1beta. In conclusion, mast cells play an important role in the initiation of zymosan-induced peritonitis and modulate its further course.

Binding of metastatic colon carcinoma cells to liver macrophages.

The liver is frequently colonized by metastatic tumor cells despite its dense population of macrophages (Kupffer cells). We have studied the interactions between metastatic colon carcinoma cells (DHD) and syngeneic Kupffer cells under different experimental conditions in vitro. In an adhesion assay the binding of DHD cells to Kupffer cell monolayers was shown to be time and temperature dependent, reaching a maximum level after about 90 min of incubation at 37 degrees C. In contrast, only a low level of binding could be observed at 4 degrees C. The level of binding could be increased by pretreatment of the Kupffer cells with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. A firm interaction between the two cell types was shown to be dependent on the presence of calcium- and trypsin-sensitive structures on the surface of the Kupffer cells. Pretreatment of the macrophages with the cytoskeletal inhibitors colchicine and cytochalasin B was also found to reduce significantly the binding of tumor cells. This binding was also inhibited to a large extent by D-mannose and N-acetyl-D-galactosamine. The Kupffer cells were not cytotoxic against the colon carcinoma cells.

Morphine modulation of peritoneal inflammation in Atlantic salmon and CB6 mice.

Peritoneal inflammation is a convenient model for comparisons of modulatory effects of morphine in phylogenetically distant vertebrates. Both in salmon and mice morphine injected intraperitoneally together with an irritant (thioglycollate) significantly inhibits inflammation as estimated by the number of peritoneal leukocytes. The low number of exudate cells in morphine-treated animals seems to be compensated by their high activity, as evidenced by the enhanced phorbol myristate acetate-induced respiratory burst. The morphine-inhibited influx of leukocytes into the irritated peritoneal cavity correlates with the morphine-lowered level of plasma chemotactic factors both in fish and mice. It implies that morphine impairs the level of plasma chemotactic factor either directly (affecting their release from the resident peritoneal cells) or indirectly (decreasing the number of inflammatory leukocytes by inhibition of their migration from hemopoietic sites). The inhibitory effects of morphine on both the cell number and chemoattractant level are completely reversed by the naltrexone pretreatment, which implicates the involvement of opioid receptors.

Lysosomal glycosidases in mouse peritoneal macrophages stimulated in vitro with soluble and insoluble glycans.

Mouse peritoneal macrophages stimulated with insoluble glycans in vitro release high amounts of acid hydrolases, N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase, beta-D-glucuronidase, and beta-D-galactosidase. The most potent of the stimulatory glycans is a beta-1,3-D-glucan isolated from yeast cell walls. Up to 50% of total enzyme activity was found in the medium after stimulation with this glycan for three days. Agarose, another insoluble glycan containing an alternating sequence of the disaccharide beta-1,3-D-galactose-alpha-1,4-3,6-anhydro-L-galactose units was less potent. The soluble beta-1,3-D-glucan laminaran, which also contains small amounts of mannitol, was not able to induce release of acid glycosidases from macrophages. The release was independent of serum since macrophages cultured under serum-free conditions showed nearly the same pattern of enzyme activities, both in the cells and media. There was no increased release of the acid hydrolase alpha-D-mannosidase after stimulation with the insoluble beta-1,3-D-glucan for three days. The release of the lysosomal glycosidases was not due to cell death, since only small amounts of the cytoplasmic enzyme lactate dehydrogenase were found in the culture media. Insoluble polystyrene latex particles were not able to stimulate mouse macrophages to release lysosomal glycosidases. Tritiated glycans (amylose, dextran, laminaran, the insoluble beta-1,3-D-glucan, and agarose) and the p-nitrophenyl-glycopyranoside derivatives were used as substrates to investigate whether the macrophages contained or released glucanases capable of degrading alpha-1,4-D-glucans, alpha-1-6-D-glucans, beta-1,3-D-glucans, and agarose respectively. We conclude that the glycans were not degraded in macrophage cultures during the time period tested nor were the enzymes induced in macrophages by the glycans during in vitro culture for seven days.

Effect of soluble aminated beta-1,3-D-polyglucose on human monocytes: stimulation of cytokine and prostaglandin E2 production but not antigen-presenting function.

Glucans are insoluble polymers of beta-1,3-linked glucose derived from yeast cell walls that effectively activate macrophages. Recently, aminated derivatives of beta-1,3-D-polyglucose have been developed that are soluble but also activate murine macrophages. The current studies were undertaken to determine whether soluble aminated beta-1,3-D-polyglucose (AG) would also stimulate human monocytes. The AG employed contained less than 2 ng endotoxin/mg. AG induced the production of intracellular, membrane-associated, and secreted forms of interleukin 1 (IL1) in a dose-dependent manner, with 50 micrograms/ml yielding maximal responses. AG also induced tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha) secretion by human monocytes. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production was also stimulated in a concentration-dependent manner. Quantitatively, optimal stimulatory concentrations of AG were comparable to endotoxin in the capacity to induce production of these various mediators. In contrast to its capacity to induce production of IL1, TNF alpha, and PGE2, AG did not stimulate monocytes to become more effective antigen presenting cells. These results indicate that AG is potent inducer of proinflammatory mediators from human monocytes but does not enhance their capacity to initiate immune responses.

Interferon-gamma inhibits endocytosis of soluble animated beta-1,3-D-glucan and neutral red in mouse peritoneal macrophages.

We previously demonstrated that soluble animated beta-1,3-D-glucan (AG) is internalized after binding to a specific beta-glucan receptor on macrophages. Internalization, but not binding, of AG is reduced when the macrophages are treated with IFN-gamma. Because our data indicated that AG is taken up by macrophages through beta-glucan receptor-mediated endocytosis, we wanted to characterize further the inhibitory effect of IFN-gamma on endocytosis. We compared the internalization of AG and neutral red (NR). NR is internalized by macrophages through fluid-phase endocytosis. AG and NR showed a similar influx/efflux pattern. The initial rate of accumulation was much larger for AG than for NR, however, probably because of the involvement of the beta-glucan receptor in the uptake of AG. Internalized AG was associated with membranes of the endocytic vesicles and formed characteristic rings on confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) images. Both the influx and efflux of AG and NR was inhibited by treatment of macrophages with IFN-gamma. Phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) added to the cell cultures increased the accumulation of AG and NR and reversed the inhibitory effect of IFN-gamma. The effect of PMA was dependent on functionally intact microfilaments and microtubules. CLSM showed that the accumulated AG was localized mostly in small vesicles (size < 2 microns) in IFN-gamma-treated cells, in large and small vesicles in untreated cells, and mostly in large vesicles (size > 2 microns) in PMA-treated cells. In conclusion, IFN-gamma inhibits both the beta-glucan receptor-mediated endocytosis of AG and the fluid-phase endocytosis of NR, probably by inhibiting the formation of large vesicles.

Separation of human monocytes on density gradients of Percoll.

Monocytes from human blood have been isolated by centrifugation in Percoll. A one-step procedure has been designed to isolate the cells from 7 ml of blood. when 5% of the white blood cells are assumed to be monocytes, an estimated average yield of 100% and a purity of 20% is achieved. The contaminating cells are almost exclusively lymphocytes. By a two-step procedure the monocytes can be obtained 90% pure with an approximate yield of 35%. The cells can be used for tissue culture without washing and they display the usual properties of mononuclear phagocytes in vitro.

Receptors for complement on echinoid phagocytes. I. The opsonic effect of vertebrae sera on echinoid phagocytosis.

The ingestion of sheep erythrocytes (SRBC) by echinoid phagocytes was greatly increased after treatment of SRBC with sera from mouse, human and fish. The opsonic principle in the sera was heat labile (56 degrees C 1/2 hr). Opsonization with mammalian sera was studied more extensively. It was dependent on pre-sensitization of SRBC with specific antibody (IgM), required Ca2+, and was inhibited by low temperature (4 degrees C). The finding that serum depleted of C 3 only opsonized very weakly strongly indicates that the opsonic principles is the complement cascade C 1-4-2-3 activated via the classical pathway, and that the opsonic effect largely coincides with the coating of SRBC with C 3b. A role of C 5 or later components was excluded, since the mouse AKR serum was C 5 deficient, and the human serum was normally treated with zymosan. When variations known to impair the opsonic function of C 3 was introduced in the opsonization procedure, a parallel inhibition was recorded on attachment of SRBC to mouse peritoneal macrophages and on ingestion of SRBC by echinoid cells. Thus C 3 receptors are probably present on echinoid phagocytes.

Rainbow trout macrophages in vitro: morphology and phagocytic activity.

The properties of macrophages from the pronephros of Rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri Richardson) were studied in vitro. We found that phagocytes obtained from the pronephros constitute a non-homogeneous cell population. Three populations with different adherence properties were examined with special emphasis on morphology and phagocytic capacity. The differentiation of the three populations in culture was similar morphologically, and their phagocytic activity showed only small variations. The methods for cell separation and culture reported here are a useful tool for gaining better understanding of how Rainbow trout macrophages function in the immune response.

A novel and efficient regimen for producing chronic relapsing experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (CR-EAE) in SJL mice.

We report that SJL mice developed chronic relapsing experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (CR-EAE) when injected with a mixture of mouse spinal cord homogenate (MSCH), killed mycobacteria tuberculosis (M. tb), and mycobacteria butyricum (M. b) in PBS 2 months before a conventional acute experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) induction injection. The altered progression of the disease involved an accelerated but less severe acute attack and development of a chronic course with relapsing-remitting episodes. Histological examination revealed inflammatory cell infiltration and demyelination in the brain. The dose of neuroantigen as well as the anatomical sites of injections were found to be crucial for the development of the disease.

Hybrid resistance to the ascites form of the murine sarcoma.

An ascites form (AA) of the methylcholanthrene-induced murine sarcoma of C3H origin was used for present experiments. The AA cells were intraperitoneally injected to syngeneic (C3H, H-2k), allogeneic (DBA, H-2d) or semisyngeneic (C3H x DBA, H-2k/d) mice at a dose 10(7) cells per animal. The DBA mice developed small amount of ascites in the peritoneal cavity followed by rejection of allogeneic tumor cells and recovery. All syngeneic and semisyngeneic animals developed tumor and died. The C3H x DBA hybrids survived significantly longer than C3H mice (mean survival times: 21.9-24.8 and 10.1-11.8 days, respectively). The hybrid mice died with voluminous ascites tumor accompanied by a sponge-like form of tumor cell aggregates dispersed in the peritoneal cavity while the syngeneic mice died with small amount of dense ascites with an accompanying massive solid tumor in the vicinity of the spleen. Therefore in the experimental system used the semisyngeneic mice were found to develop a better response against parental-strain tumor cells than the syngeneic mice. This is an example of the phenomenon referred to as "hybrid resistance" or "allogeneic inhibition".

Rhythms of immunity.

Rhythms of daily activity are found in all vertebrate species, some of them being diurnal (like humans, dogs, pigeons), others--nocturnal (like mice, rats and bats). Some species undergo very pronounced seasonal changes, as they hibernate in the winter or mate only at the specific seasons. The main regulator (a clock and a calendar) for daily and seasonal rhythms is the periodicity of the external light-darkness, reflected by the periodicity of melatonin secretion from the pineal gland, which is inhibited by light and induced during the darkness. In contrast to melatonin which peaks during the night both in diurnal and noctural species, the cyclicity of other hormones and several immune parameters correlates with the pattern of the animal locomotor activity-resting. The immune parameter that peaks at one time of day for a diurnal species peaks about 12 h later for a nocturnal one. Various immune parameters peak at various time points, anticipating an encounter with pathogens during the period of activity while energetically expensive resolution of the immune response during the resting. Daily and seasonal cyclicity of the immune functions are temporally integrated with other physiologic and behavioral processes and all of them are regulated and coordinated with daily and seasonal changes of an external environment by the neuroendocrine homeostatic system.

MHC molecules and lymphocytes: evolutionary perspective.

The classical polymorphic MHC molecules of class I or class II bind peptides derived from the processed cytosolic or endosomal antigens and export them to the cell surface for presentation to the T cell receptors (TcR) of CD8 or CD4 T lymphocytes, respectively. The classical MHC molecules are unstable when peptides are not bound. The MHC-peptide-TcR interactions constitute a molecular basis of thymic selection of the major streams of alpha beta and gamma delta T lymphocytes. The monomorphic MHC class I-like molecules (class Ib) bind peculiar peptides or nonpeptide antigens or can keep proper conformation even without antigenic peptides. They are recognized by the specialized subsets of nonconventional lymphocytes, mainly extrathymic gamma delta T or natural killer (NK) T lymphocytes. The most unorthodox T lymphocytes can see antigens directly without the participation of MHC or MHC-like molecules or can see MHC-like molecules not loaded with peptides. The conventional B2 lymphocytes are indirectly dependent on MHC-peptide-TcR interactions as they can bind the epitopes of native antigens via Ig surface receptors, to be activated they must present the processed antigens via the MHC class II molecules to the Th2 lymphocytes. In contrast, the B1 lymphocytes can be activated directly without cooperation with T cells via MHC molecules. It seems that both MHC molecules and lymphocyte antigen receptors arose by the expansion of Ig-superfamily genes at the early steps of vertebrate phylogeny. The nonconventional T lymphocytes (gamma delta T cells and NK T lymphocytes) and B1 cells which support innate immunity at the body surfaces or cavities as well as the MHC-like molecules might appear earlier, creating a proper microenvironment for development of the conventional T and B2 subsets of lymphocytes.