Tumor necrosis factor-alpha in human milk.

We previously demonstrated that certain biologic activities in human milk were partially blocked by antibodies directed against human tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). In this study, immunochemical methods were used to verify the presence of TNF-alpha in human milk obtained during the first few days of lactation. Gel filtration revealed the presence of TNF-alpha by RIA in molecular weight fractions between 80 and 195 kD. TNF-alpha could not be detected consistently by conventional Western blotting or cytotoxic assays. Although immunoreactive bands were detected by a Western blot-125I protein A technique in TNF-alpha-positive fractions from gel filtration, those bands proved to be nonspecific. TNF-alpha in milk was reliably quantified by the competitive RIA. Those studies revealed that the concentrations of TNF-alpha in milk were 620 +/- 183 pg/mL. Although RNA to TNF-alpha was detected in milk leukocytes by Northern blotting, little TNF-alpha was found in those cells before or after stimulation with N-formyl-l-methionyl-l-leucyl-l-phenylalanine or 4 beta-phorbol-12 beta-myristate-13 alpha-acetate. The origin of this cytokine in human milk remains unclear. Nevertheless, this study suggests that TNF-alpha is present in early human milk in sufficient quantities to exert possible biologic effects upon the mammary gland of the mother or the immune system of the infant.

Chemokinetic agents for monocytes in human milk: possible role of tumor necrosis factor-alpha.

Human milk was found to contain chemokinetic agents for human blood monocytes. The chemokinetic agents were whey proteins that were inactivated by heating at 56 degrees C for 20 min or treatment with trypsin. Three peaks of chemokinetic activity less than 60 kD in size were found by gel filtration chromatography. The chemokinetic activity of each peak obtained by gel filtration was partially blocked by polyclonal rabbit antibodies to recombinant human tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). TNF-alpha, or a protein that immunologically cross-reacted with it, was also detected in human milk by blockage of the cytotoxicity of human milk by anti-TNF-alpha. Such proteins or others that elicit the release of TNF-alpha from the target cells may be responsible for the enhanced motility of human milk macrophages, and it is possible that they may alter the immunologic or metabolic activities of the alimentary tract of the recipient infant.

Chemokinetic effects of exogenous and endogenous tumor necrosis factor alpha on human blood monocytes.

The possible chemokinetic effect of human tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) upon human monocytes was investigated by using a type 1 collagen gel system. Human recombinant TNF-alpha was found to be chemokinetic, and concentrations of that cytokine as low as 0.7 pg/microliters enhanced the movement of those leukocytes. Furthermore, we explored whether endogenous TNF-alpha stimulates monocyte movement by incubating blood monocytes with a TNF-alpha-stimulating agent, human recombinant interleukin 1, with or without antibodies to human TNF-alpha. Human recombinant interleukin 1 enhanced the motility of blood monocytes, and that effect was blocked by rabbit polyclonal antibodies to human TNF-alpha. Furthermore, the movement of blood monocytes no exposed to exogenous cytokines was decreased after incubation with anti-TNF-alpha. Thus, endogenous as well as exogenous TNF-alpha is a chemokinetic agent for human monocytes.

The motility of human milk macrophages in collagen gels.

The hypothesis that the diminished motility of human milk leukocytes is due to a decrease in adherence was tested by using a collagen gel system in which leukocyte movement is less dependent on adherence. Unfractionated human milk leukocytes (HML) or fractionated peripheral blood leukocytes were placed on collagen gels in microwells and the leading edge of migration was determined by inverted phase microscopy. The mean rates of invasion of HML, blood neutrophils, and mononuclear blood leukocytes were 14, 240, and less than 1 mu/h, respectively (p less than 0.01). We then examined the identity of motile HML by immunoperoxidase techniques using antibodies to selected cell markers. Motile HML were positive for a specific macrophage marker (cathepsin B) and a neutrophil and monocyte marker (Mac-1) but were negative for specific neutrophil (cathepsin G) or lymphocyte markers (CD3 and CD5). The directed motility of these cells was not enhanced by exposure to the chemoattractant, N-formyl-L-methionyl-L-phenylalanine, but was inhibited by a T cell lectin, phytohemagglutinin. The movement was actin dependent but was not dependent on calcium or Mac-1 surface glycoproteins. Thus, the diminished motility of milk neutrophils does not appear to be due to decreased adherence per se, and those HML that are motile are macrophages. This suggests a dichotomy for the function of HML. Neutrophils may be relegated to the lumen of th alimentary tract, whereas macrophages may penetrate into mucosal sites for host defense.