Murine macrophage scavenger receptor: in vivo expression and function as receptor for macrophage adhesion in lymphoid and non-lymphoid organs

Macrophage scavenger receptors are trimeric integral membrane glycoproteins which have been implicated in various macrophage functions including uptake of oxidized lipoprotein and the serum-dependent, divalent cation-independent adhesion of macrophages to tissue culture-treated plastic. In this study we have used a recently defined monoclonal antibody (2F8) which recognizes murine macrophage scavenger receptor, to explore its expression in lymphoid and non-lymphoid organs of the normal adult. Scavenger receptor was detected in the red pulp and marginal zone of normal adult mouse spleen, medulla of the thymus and subcapsular region of lymph nodes. Kupffer cells in the liver, alveolar macrophages in the lung and lamina propria macrophages in the gut all reacted with 2F8 monoclonal antibody. The antigen was not detected on any nonmacrophage cells, with the exception of sinusoidal endothelial cells in the liver. In the spleen, lymph node and liver, scavenger receptor antigen expression was associated specifically with phagocytic cells which had taken up colloidal carbon. To examine macrophage adhesion in a context relevant to the interactions occurring within lymphoid and non-lymphoid organs, and the contribution of macrophage scavenger receptor to this adhesion, we designed an assay of macrophage adhesion to frozen tissue sections. Adhesion to most tissues was high and uniform in the absence of any chelating agents. The chelation of Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ revealed specific patterns of macrophage adhesion in lymphoid and non-lymphoid organs which was completely inhibited by 2F8. The ability of this antibody to block the EDTA-resistant adhesion correlated with tissue expression of the antigen in some tissues. Unlike adhesion to tissue culture-treated plastic, macrophage scavenger receptor-dependent adhesion of macrophages to frozen tissue sections did not exhibit an absolute requirement for exogenous fetal bovine serum indicating the presence of an endogenous ligand for scavenger receptor within the tissues. We propose that macrophage scavenger receptor is a candidate homing or retention molecule for macrophage localization within ligand-rich tissues.     

Lesion-associated expression of transforming growth factor-beta-2 in the rat nervous system: evidence for down-regulating the phagocytic activity of microglia and macrophages

The mechanisms that control the phagocytic activities of microglia and macrophages during disorders of the nervous system are largely unknown. In the present investigation, we assessed the functional role of transforming growth factor (TGF)beta2 in vitro and studied TGFbeta-2mRNA and protein expression in two CNS lesion paradigms in vivo characterized by fundamental differences in microglia/macrophage behaviour: optic nerve crush exhibiting slow, and focal cerebral ischemia exhibiting rapid phagocytic transformation. Furthermore, we used sciatic nerve crush injury as a PNS lesion paradigm comparable to brain ischemia in its rapid phagocyte response. In normal and degenerating optic nerves, astrocytes strongly and continuously expressed TGF-beta2 immunoreactivity. In contrast, TGF-beta2 was downregulated in Schwann cells of degenerating sciatic nerves, and was not expressed by reactive astrocytes in the vicinity of focal ischemic brain lesions during the acute phagocytic phase. In line with its differential lesion-associated expression pattern, exogenous TGF-beta2 suppressed spontaneous myelin phagocytosis by microglia/macrophages in a mouse ex vivo assay of CNS and PNS Wallerian degeneration. In conclusion, we have identified TGF-beta2 as a nervous system intrinsic cytokine that could account for the differential regulation of phagocytic activities of microglia and macrophages during injury.     

Microglial overexpression of the M-CSF receptor augments phagocytosis of opsonized Abeta

The role of microglia in Alzheimer's disease (AD) has come under intense scrutiny recently because microglia may clear amyloid beta (Abeta) by phagocytosis after immunization of transgenic mice. Increased expression of the macrophage colony-stimulating factor receptor (M-CSFR) is an important feature of microglia in AD and transgenic mouse models for AD. Increased expression of M-CSFR on mouse and human microglia accelerates phagocytosis of aggregated Abeta in part through macrophage scavenger receptors. We now show that Abeta phagocytosis by microglia overexpressing M-CSFR is further enhanced by antibody opsonization of Abeta. M-CSFR overexpression increased microglial phagocytosis of opsonized aggregated Abeta in culture medium, and accelerated ingestion of native Abeta from AD brain sections. M-CSFR overexpression also increased microglial expression of Fcgamma receptors, and blocking Fcgamma receptors attenuated the enhanced Abeta uptake observed after M-CSFR overexpression and antibody opsonization. Microglia in AD and in AD mouse models with increased expression of M-CSFR are likely to rapidly ingest opsonized Abeta after immunization, making high intracerebral antibody titers unnecessary.     

Differential recruitment of CD8+ macrophages during Wallerian degeneration in the peripheral and central nervous system

The strong macrophage response occurring during Wallerian degeneration in the peripheral but not central nervous system has been implicated in tissue remodeling and growth factor production as key requirements for successful axonal regeneration. We have previously identified a population of CD8+ phagocytes in ischemic brain lesions that differed in its recruitment pattern from CD4+ macrophages/microglia found in other lesion paradigms. In the present study we show that crush injury to the sciatic nerve induced strong infiltration by CD8+ macrophages both at the crush site and into the degenerating distal nerve stump. At the crush site, CD8+ macrophages appeared within 24 hours whereas infiltration of the distal nerve parenchyma was delayed to the second week. CD8+ macrophages were ED1+ and CD11b+ but always MHC class II-. Most CD8+ macrophages coexpressed CD4 while a significant number of CD4+/CD8-macrophages was also present. Expression of the resident tissue macrophage marker ED2 was largely restricted to the CD4+/CD8- population. Following intraorbital crush injury to the optic nerve, infiltration of CD8+ macrophages was strictly confined to the crush site. Taken together, our study demonstrates considerable spatiotemporal diversity of CD8+ macrophage responses to axotomy in the peripheral and central nervous system that may have implications for the different extent of axonal regeneration observed in both systems.     

Immunohistochemical localization of macrophages and microglia in the adult and developing mouse brain

Macrophages and microglia in the developing and adult mouse brain have been identified by immunohistochemical localization of the macrophage-specific antigen F4/80 and monoclonal antibodies to the FcIgG1/2b (2.4G2) and type-three complement (Mac-1) receptors. In the adult mouse there are two classes of F4/80-positive cells; those associated with the choroid plexus, ventricles and leptomeninges and the microglia. The cells bearing Fc and complement receptors are indistinguishable, by their morphology and distribution, from those revealed by F4/80. During development macrophages invade the brain and can be followed through a series of transitional forms as they differentiate to become microglia. Macrophage invasion occurs when naturally dying cells are observed in large numbers and this is consistent with the idea that dying neurons and axons provide a stimulus for macrophage infiltration. Our results provide strong support for the hypothesis that the microglia are derived from monocytes and show that microglia possess receptors which would allow them to play a part in the immune defence of the nervous system.     

Expression of the macrophage scavenger receptor, a multifunctional lipoprotein receptor, in microglia associated with senile plaques in Alzheimer's disease.

The macrophage scavenger receptor is a multifunctional receptor whose ligands include oxidized low density lipoprotein (LDL), as well as several other polyanionic macromolecules. Although the capacity of the receptor to bind modified LDL has implicated it in the process of atherosclerosis, its physiological role remains uncertain. We have examined human brain for expression of macrophage scavenger receptor as part of ongoing studies of lipoprotein receptors in the central nervous system. The receptor is expressed on microglia, but not on astrocytes, neurons, or vessel-associated structures. In Alzheimer disease, there is strong expression of the scavenger receptor in association with senile plaques.     

CD163 identifies perivascular macrophages in normal and viral encephalitic brains and potential precursors to perivascular macrophages in blood

Perivascular macrophages are uniquely situated at the intersection between the nervous and immune systems. Although combined myeloid marker detection differentiates perivascular from resident brain macrophages (parenchymal microglia), no single marker distinguishes perivascular macrophages in humans and mice. Here, we present the macrophage scavenger receptor CD163 as a marker for perivascular macrophages in humans, monkeys, and mice. CD163 was primarily confined to perivascular macrophages and populations of meningeal and choroid plexus macrophages in normal brains and in brains of humans and monkeys with human immunodeficiency virus or simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) encephalitis. Scattered microglia in SIV encephalitis lesions and multinucleated giant cells were also CD163 positive. Consistent with prior findings that perivascular macrophages are primary targets of human immunodeficiency virus and SIV, all SIV-infected cells in the brain were CD163 positive. Using fluorescent dyes that definitively and selectively label perivascular macrophages in vivo, we confirmed that dye-labeled simian perivascular macrophages were CD163 positive and able to repopulate the central nervous system within 24 hours. Flow cytometric studies demonstrated a subset of monocytes (CD163(+)CD14(+)CD16(+)) that were immunophenotypically similar to brain perivascular macrophages. These findings recognize CD163(+) blood monocytes/macrophages as a source of brain perivascular macrophages and underscore the utility of this molecule in studying the biology of perivascular macrophages and their precursors in humans, monkeys, and mice.     

Membrane changes in murine macrophages after in-vivo stimulation and activation.

The expression of various receptors and other surface determinants on resident, glycogen-and Corynebacterium parvum- elicited mouse peritoneal macrophages has been described. Macrophage Fc (IgG2b) receptors and I-A antigens were slightly increased after stimulation and a more marked increase was shown after activation with C. parvum. Complement receptor expression was enhanced after stimulation but was markedly reduced after activation. C. parvum-elicited macrophages, and to a lesser extent glycogen-elicited macrophages, showed a reduction in lectin-like receptors which recognize bacterial cell-wall sugars. Surface mannosyl determinants of the macrophage membrane were apparently increased after activation. The environment thus can be seen to influence the expression of macrophage surface receptors and antigens. These alterations are likely to influence the role of the macrophage in the immune response.     

Possible involvement of the M2 anti-inflammatory macrophage phenotype in growth of human gliomas

Within tumours, many non-neoplastic cells such as fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and macrophages assist tumour growth by producing various growth factors and pro-angiogenic cytokines. Various tumour-derived molecules drive tumour-associated macrophages towards an anti-inflammatory phenotype (M2) and thus promoting tumour growth. Here we investigated microglia/macrophage differentiation in glioma tissues by means of immunostaining of paraffin-embedded glioma samples. The number of microglia/macrophages with positive staining for CD163 and CD204, which are believed to be markers for M2 macrophages, was correlated with the histological grade of the gliomas. The ratio of M2 macrophages in the tumour-associated microglia/macrophages was also associated with the histological grade. Culture supernatant from the glioma cell line can stimulate macrophages to develop into the M2 phenotype in vitro. Macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF), which strongly induces M2 polarization of macrophages, was significantly correlated with histological malignancy and with the proportion of M2 microglia/macrophages in vivo. In addition, the proportion of M2 microglia/macrophages and M-CSF expression in tumour cells correlated well with proliferation of glioblastoma cells. These results suggest that tumour-derived M-CSF induces a shift of microglia/macrophages towards the M2 phenotype, which influences tumour growth. Evaluation of the proportion of M2 microglia/macrophages and M-CSF expression in tumour tissue would be useful for assessment of microglia/macrophage proliferative activity and the prognosis of patients with gliomas.     

Macrophage differentiation and function in health and disease

Macrophages exist in almost all animals. In some invertebrates, mesenchymal cells, endothelial cells or fibroblast-like cells can transform into macrophages. In vertebrates, primitive macrophages first develop in yolk sac hematopoiesis and differentiate into fetal macrophages. Monocytes are differentiated from hematopoietic stem cells in the late stage of fetal hematopoietic organs and bone marrow. Macrophages serve as an effector in metabolism and host defense. Depletion of macrophages severely reduced bilirubin production and host resistance to infection. Macrophage scavenger receptors are involved in host defense. Macrophage growth factors are critical for macrophage differentiation and function. In macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF)-deficient osteopetrotic mice, monocytes, tissue macrophages and osteoclasts are deficient. Granulocyte–macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)-deficient mice develop alveolar proteinosis due to impaired surfactant catabolism by alveolar macrophages. Accumulation of glucocerebroside in macrophages due to the deficiency of glucocerebrosidase in lysosomes produces Gaucher cells. Macrophages in the arterial wall incorporate chemically modified low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and transform into foam cells. Binding oxidized LDL to liver X receptor α (LXRα) upregulates the expression of its target genes, which act as cholesterol removers from macrophages. Inflammatory signals downregulate the expression of LXRα and enhance lipid accumulation. Thus, macrophages play a pivotal role in metabolism and host defense.     

Coexpression of type I and type II human macrophage scavenger receptors in macrophages of various organs and foam cells in atherosclerotic lesions.

Macrophage scavenger receptors are trimeric membrane glycoproteins implicated in the pathologic deposition of cholesterol in arterial walls during atherogenesis. Two types of cDNAs for functional human receptors have been cloned, but their physiologic roles remain obscure. To study the expression of these receptors, the authors generated antibodies against scavenger receptor type-specific synthetic peptide. Immunohistochemical examination using these antibodies and other anti-human receptor antibodies shows that type I and type II receptor proteins can be detected in foam cells in various stages of atherosclerosis, most evidently in fatty streaks. Co-expression of the two types of receptor protein was also detected in macrophages of various organs. Both types of the protein were detected on the surface and the membrane of endosomes in macrophages. These results indicate that both type I and type II scavenger receptors are expressed and functionally active in physiologic and pathologic conditions.     

CD163, a marker of perivascular macrophages, is up-regulated by microglia in simian immunodeficiency virus encephalitis after haptoglobin-hemoglobin complex stimulation and is suggestive of breakdown of the blood-brain barrier

Macrophages and microglia are the major cell types infected by human immunodeficiency virus and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) in the central nervous system. Microglia are likely infected in vivo, but evidence of widespread productive infection (ie, presence of viral RNA and protein) is lacking. This conclusion is controversial because, unlike lymphocytes, macrophages and microglia cannot be discreetly immunophenotyped. Of particular interest in the search for additional monocyte/macrophage-lineage cell markers is CD163; this receptor for haptoglobin-hemoglobin (Hp-Hb) complex, which forms in plasma following erythrolysis, is expressed exclusively on cells of monocyte/macrophage lineage. We examined CD163 expression in vitro and in vivo by multiple techniques and at varying times after SIV infection in macaques with or without encephalitis. In normal and acutely SIV-infected animals, and in SIV-infected animals without encephalitis, CD163 expression was detected in cells of monocyte/macrophage lineage, including perivascular macrophages, but not in parenchymal microglia. However, in chronically infected animals with encephalitis, CD163 expression was detected in activated microglia surrounding SIV encephalitis lesions in the presence of Hp-Hb complex, suggesting leakage of the blood-brain barrier. CD163 expression was also induced on microglia in vitro after stimulation with Hp-Hb complex. We conclude that CD163 is a selective marker of perivascular macrophages in normal macaques and during the early phases of SIV infection; however, later in infection in animals with encephalitis, CD163 is also expressed by microglia, which are probably activated as a result of vascular compromise.     

Quantification of the mononuclear phagocyte response to Wallerian degeneration of the optic nerve

Summary We investigated the numbers, origin and phenotype of mononuclear phagocytes (macrophages/microglia) responding to Wallerian degeneration of the mouse optic nerve in order to compare it with the response to Wallerian degeneration in the PNS, already described. We found macrophage/microglial numbers elevated nearly four fold in the distal segments of crushed optic nerves and their projection areas in the contralateral superior colliculus 1 week after unilateral optic nerve crush. This relative increase in mononuclear phagocyte numbers compared well with the four-to five-fold increases reported in the distal segments of transected saphenous or sciatic nerves. Moreover, maximum numbers are reached at 3, 5 and 7 days in the saphenous, sciatic and optic nerves respectively, suggesting that the very slow clearance of axonal debris and myelin in CNS undergoing Wallerian degeneration is not simply due to a slow or small mononuclear phagocyte response. The apparent delay in the response in the CNS occurs because the mononuclear phagocytes respond to the Wallerian degeneration of axons, which is slightly slower in the CNS than the PNS, rather than to events associated with the crush itself, such as the abolition of normal electrical activity in the distal segment. This was demonstrated by the protracted time course of the mononuclear phagocyte response in the distal segment following optic nerve crush in mice carrying theWld ^smutation which dramatically slows the rate at which the axons undergo Wallerian degeneration. By³H-Thymidine labelling or by blocking microglial proliferation by X-irradiation of the head prior to optic nerve crush, we showed that the majority of macrophages/microglia initiating the response to Wallerian degeneration were of local, CNS origin but these cells rapidly (from 3 days post crush) upregulate endocytic and phagocytic functional markers although they do not resemble rounded myelin-phagocytosing macrophages observed in degenerating peripheral nerves. We speculate that the poor clearance of myelin in CNS fibre tracts undergoing Wallerian degeneration compared to the PNS, in the face of a mononuclear phagocyte response which is similar in relative magnitude and time course, is because Schwann cells in degenerating peripheral nerves promptly modify their myelin sheaths such that they can be recognized and phagocytosed by macrophages, whilst in the CNS oligodendrocytes do not.     

Tissue distribution, intracellular localization, and in vitro expression of bovine macrophage scavenger receptors.

Macrophage scavenger receptors are trimeric membrane proteins implicated in the pathologic deposition of cholesterol in atherogenesis. The authors have studied the tissue distribution and intracellular localization of bovine scavenger receptors using monoclonal antibovine receptor antibody IgG-D2. The receptor proteins were detectable in macrophages of various organs and tissues, particularly Kupffer cells, alveolar macrophages, and macrophages in the spleen and lymph nodes. In the brain, perivascular macrophages were immunoreactive with IgG-D2. Fibroblasts, endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, and dendritic cells such as epidermal Langerhans cells, interdigitating cells, or follicular dendritic cells, however, showed no immunoreactivity to IgG-D2. Immunoelectron microscopy showed localization of reaction products for these receptors on the cell surface, vesicles, and endosomes of macrophages. Transient expression of bovine scavenger receptors on cultured cells shows that scavenger receptors are mainly expressed in the endoplasmic reticulum, nuclear envelope, and Golgi apparatus of nonmacrophage cells and moved to the cell surface and endosomes of macrophagelike cells. These results indicate that efficient intracellular transport of scavenger receptors in macrophages is mediated by a macrophage-specific transport system.     

Increased expression of macrophage receptor with collagenous structure (MARCO) in mouse cortex following middle cerebral artery occlusion

Ischaemia induces activation of resident microglia and infiltration of peripheral monocyte/macrophage cells into the central nervous system. The role of scavenger receptors, receptors critical to the recognition and clearance of cell debris, has not been investigated during cerebral ischaemia. MARCO is an inducible member of the scavenger receptor family unique to cells of monocytic lineage and is a cell surface marker that plays a critical role in the differentiation of monocytes to dendritic cells. To understand the role of MARCO in cerebral ischaemia, we investigated its expression in mice following middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion. No MARCO mRNA expression was observed in naive mouse brain. There was no significant increase in expression of MARCO mRNA following transient occlusion (60min) of the MCA at any time point up to 24 h. However, a significant, marked increase in MARCO mRNA expression was observed at 24 h in the cortex of mouse brains after a permanent occlusion of the MCA. The increased expression of MARCO mRNA at 24 h after prolonged ischaemia is consistent with its putative role in the clearance of debris and/or degenerating cells after severe ischaemia and supports previous publications showing the presence of dendritic cells around permanently occluded lesions.     

Heterogeneity in the distribution and morphology of microglia in the normal adult mouse brain

We have examined the distribution of microglia in the normal adult mouse brain using immunocytochemical detection of the macrophage specific plasma membrane glycoprotein F4/80. We were interested to learn whether the distribution of microglia in the adult brain is related to regional variation in the magnitude of cell death during development and resulting monocyte recruitment, or whether the adult distribution is influenced by other local microenvironmental cues. We further investigated the possibility that microglia are sensitive to their microenvironment by studying their morphology in different brain regions. Microglia are present in large numbers in all major divisions of the brain but are not uniformly distributed. There is a more than five-fold variation in the density of immunostained microglial processes between different regions. More microglia are found in gray matter than white. Particularly, densely populated areas include the hippocampus, olfactory telencephalon, basal ganglia and substantia nigra. In comparison, the less densely populated areas include fibre tracts, cerebellum and much of the brainstem. The cerebral cortex, thalamus and hypothalamus have average cell densities. There was no simple relationship between the amount of developmental cell death and the adult distribution of microglia. An estimate of the total number of microglia in the adult mouse brain, 3.5 x 10(6), is comparable to that found in the liver on a weight for weight basis. However, microglia possess up to twice the surface area of membrane of Kupffer cells, the large resident macrophages of the liver. The proportion of cells that were microglia varied from 5% in the cortex and corpus callosum, to 12% in the substantia nigra. Microglia vary in morphology depending on their location. They were broadly classified into three categories. Compact cells are rounded cells, sometimes with one or two short thick limbs, bearing short processes ("bristles"). They resemble Kupffer cells of the liver and are found exclusively in sites lacking a blood-brain barrier. Longitudinally branched cells are found in fibre tracts and possess several long processes which are usually aligned parallel to, or more occasionally perpendicular to, the longitudinal axis of the nerve fibres. Radially branched cells are found throughout the neuropil. They can be extremely elaborate and there is wide variation in the length and complexity of branching of the processes. There was no evidence of monocyte-like cells in the adult CNS. The systematic variation in microglial morphology provides further evidence that these cells are sensitive to their microenvironment.     

Isolation and flow cytometric characterization of newborn mouse brain-derived microglia maintained in vitro

Microglia have been identified in the white matter of developing and adult mouse brain using different murine macrophage markers. While several techniques for the isolation of murine microglia have been described, the small cell yields and partial purification have limited the progress of these studies. We now describe the isolation of murine microglia using a modification of McCarthy and de Vellis method. Brain tissues from 1-2 day old newborn mice were mechanically and chemically dissociated and maintained in in vitro culture for 3 weeks. In primary dissociated brain cultures, microglia are observed after 10 days migrating from small colonies. After 16-20 days, brain-derived microglia were isolated with high cell yields by continuous shaking of the cultures for 16 hr. In contrast to resident murine peritoneal macrophages, microglia express less Class II (Ia) antigen and a small percentage express L3T4 (CD4) antigen by flow cytometry.     

虎杖苷抑制ox-LDL诱导的脂质过氧化并下调巨噬细胞清道夫受体CD36表达

目的:研究虎杖苷抑制ox-LDL诱导的巨噬细胞氧化反应和调节巨噬细胞清道夫受体CD36表达的功效。方法:将C57/BL6小鼠随机分为生理盐水组、虎杖苷组,分别经腹腔给予1.5%生理盐水、1.5%虎杖苷溶液,连续3d,第4d停止注射,第5d处死老鼠,取腹腔巨噬细胞培养。将培养的巨噬细胞给予氧化修饰的低密度脂蛋白(ox-LDL)刺激,观察腹腔巨噬细胞超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)的活性,ox-LDL诱导的巨噬细胞呼吸爆发及脂质过氧化物(LPO)含量,以及清道夫受体CD36的表达调控。结果:与生理盐水组相比,虎杖苷组巨噬细胞的SOD活性明显提高,巨噬细胞的LPO蓄积也明显降低;并且虎杖苷组ox-LDL诱导的巨噬细胞呼吸爆发水平也显著低于生理盐水对照组;虎杖苷组巨噬细胞CD36的表达同样明显低于生理盐水组。结论:虎杖苷可有效抑制巨噬细胞脂质过氧化应激情况下的呼吸爆发,下调其清道夫受体CD36的表达,提示虎杖苷可能具有预防动脉粥样硬化早期病变的功能。