Impaired complement-mediated phagocytosis by HIV type-1-infected human monocyte-derived macrophages involves a cAMP-dependent mechanism

HIV-1 infection of cells of macrophage lineage impairs a number of effector functions performed by these cells, including phagocytosis of opsonized pathogens. In this study we investigate the effects of HIV-1 on the mechanism of complement (C')-mediated phagocytosis by human monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM). Using C'-opsonized sheep red blood cells (sRBC) as targets, we demonstrate that phagocytosis is inhibited by HIV-1 infection in vitro. Inhibition is not due to downregulation of surface C' receptors (R) or altered binding of C'-opsonized targets to HIV-1-infected MDM, suggesting a postreceptor-mediated mechanism of suppression. Having shown that increased levels of intracellular cAMP in uninfected MDM inhibit phagocytosis, we demonstrate that HIV-1 infection of MDM is associated with increased intracellular cAMP. Using the adenylate cyclase inhibitors 2',5'-dideoxyadenosine and MDL-12,330A, we show that phagocytosis by HIV-1- infected MDM can be restored by inhibition of cAMP production. Defective phagocytosis by HIV-1-infected MDM did not correlate with prostaglandin secretion, and was less in uninfected MDM within the HIV-1-infected cell culture suggesting a minimal bystander effect. Inhibition required viral entry but not active viral replication, as shown by use of the antiretroviral drug lamivudine. Hence, our study suggests that HIV-1 impairs C'R-mediated phagocytosis in MDM by elevating intracellular cAMP levels, independent of prostaglandin secretion, and contributes to our understanding of how HIV-1 impairs cell-mediated immunity.     

Signalling through neutrophil Fc gamma RIII, Fc gamma RII, and CD59 is not impaired in active rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To compare neutrophil Fc receptor (Fc gamma R) and CD59 signalling responses in normal healthy subjects and patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Intracellular free calcium concentrations were measured in neutrophils loaded with the fluorescent calcium indicator fura-2, using a spectrofluorimeter. RESULTS: Basal intracellular calcium ion concentrations were similar in both groups when no primary antibody, CD59, or CD32 (Fc gamma RIII) antibody was added. When CD16 (Fc gamma RIII) antibody was added, there was a significantly greater basal calcium concentration in the patient group compared with the control group. Transient cytosolic calcium ion fluxes were observed after binding Fc gamma RII, Fc gamma RIII, or CD59 with specific monoclonal antibodies and cross linking with the F(ab)2 fragment of sheep antimouse IgG. Peak concentrations of intracellular free calcium, [Ca2+]i, after cross linking each of the three receptors, were comparable between normal healthy donors and patients with RA. The lag period between addition of cross linking antibodies and the increase in calcium was also similar between normal individuals and patients. CONCLUSION: Contrary to previous reports, these results demonstrate that Ca2+ signalling responses of cross linked Fc receptors in blood neutrophils from patients with RA are identical to those in neutrophils of normal subjects. Signalling responses of cross linked CD59 are also unaltered.     

The prevalence and distribution of macrophages bearing Fc gamma R I, Fc gamma R II, and Fc gamma R III in synovium.

Fc-receptors for IgG (Fc gamma R) are important triggers of effector function in macrophages. We have investigated the distribution of cells bearing Fc gamma R I, Fc gamma R II, and Fc gamma R III in 14 synovia and 3 nodules from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, using monoclonal antibodies on serial cryostat sections. 8 osteoarthritis (OA), 2 ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients and one sarcoid patient were also studied. Significant numbers of macrophages bearing Fc gamma R were present in inflamed synovial tissue with no significant difference in relative frequency between RA and OA. There was no correlation with the degree of lymphocytic infiltration. Distinctive staining patterns for the three Fc-receptors suggest differential regulation of these molecules on macrophages in synovium.     

Ubiquinone-8 stimulates phagocytosis in macrophages by modulation of the kinetics of the Fc receptor

The effect of exogenous ubiquinone-8 (Q8) on IgG- and C3b-mediated phagocytosis of sensitized sheep red blood cells and of opsonized Staphylococcus aureus by macrophages was studied by morphological and quantitative methods. Q8 stimulated the initial events of phagocytosis, that is, attachment and ingestion, in which occupancy of the Fc receptor by IgG was shown to be of critical significance. The kinetics of competitive inhibition of phagocytosis of opsonized bacteria by macrophages by using Fc fragments suggested the intimate role of the kinetics of the Fc receptor in the initial events of phagocytosis and, further, the modulation of the kinetics of the Fc receptor by Q8 as the basis of enhanced phagocytosis by Q8.     

nef-deleted HIV-1 inhibits phagocytosis by monocyte-derived macrophages in vitro but not by peripheral blood monocytes in vivo

OBJECTIVE: HIV-1 infection impairs a number of macrophage effector functions, but the mechanism is unknown. We studied the role of HIV-1 Nef in modulating phagocytosis by human monocytes and monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM). DESIGN AND METHODS: Using a flow cytometric assay, phagocytosis of Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) by monocytes in whole blood of Sydney Blood Bank Cohort (SBBC) members infected with a nef-deleted (Delta nef) strain of HIV-1 was compared with that of monocytes from uninfected or wild-type (WT) HIV-infected subjects. The specific impact of Nef on phagocytosis by MDM was determined by either infecting cells in vitro with Delta nef strains of HIV-1 or electroporating Nef into uninfected MDM. RESULTS: MAC phagocytic capacity of monocytes from SBBC members was equivalent to that of cells from uninfected individuals (P = 0.81); it was greater than that of cells from individuals infected with WT HIV-1 (P < 0.0001), irrespective of CD4 counts and HIV viral load. In contrast, in vitro infection of MDM with either Delta nef or WT strains of HIV-1 resulted in similar levels of HIV replication and equivalent impairment of phagocytosis via Fc gamma and complement receptors. Electroporation of Nef into MDM did not alter phagocytic capacity. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence demonstrating the complex indirect effect of Nef on phagocytosis by peripheral blood monocytes (infrequently infected with HIV-1) in vivo. Conversely, the fact that MDM infected with either Delta nef or WT HIV-1 in vitro (high multiplicity of infection) show comparably impaired phagocytosis, indicates that HIV-1 infection of macrophages can directly impair function, independent of Nef.     

Intracellular growth and phagocytosis of Blastomyces dermatitidis by monocyte-derived macrophages from previously infected and normal subjects

Blastomyces dermatitidis evokes responses of human cellular immunity typical of other intracellular fungal pathogens. Differences in growth rates of intracellular Blastomyces yeast and the differences in amounts of yeast phagocytized by macrophages were determined for macrophages derived from peripheral blood monocytes from 11 persons with treated blastomycosis and 11 normal, healthy persons. Cellular immunity was examined by lymphocyte uptake of [3H]thymidine in response to a specific antigen of Blastomyces yeast. Yeast were more readily phagocytized by macrophages from the previously treated donors when compared with those from the normal donors; the yeast were confirmed to be intracellular by transmission electron microscopy. Likewise, a decrease in growth rates of yeast was demonstrable in cultures of macrophages from previously treated donors as compared with normal donors. This greater efficiency of phagocytosis and growth inhibition of B. dermatitidis reflects another mechanism of human cellular immunity to this fungal infection.     

Autologous rosette formation by human blood monocyte-derived macrophages and lymphocytes

The formation of rosettes between human blood monocyte-derived macrophages and lymphocytes (MLR) in samples harvested from total leukocyte (TL) cell cultures, was confirmed. Experiments with leukocytes obtained from human blood of healthy individuals (n = 17) and prepared under various conditions, were performed. Cytopreparations of each experiment were used for classical staining procedures or for immunohistochemical methods with monoclonal lymphocyte surface markers. Recently obtained blood leukocytes were unable to form MLR, whereas cultured samples of the same cells started to form MLR 15 hr after culturing. At that time, the number of MLR in pelleted samples was 1.18%, reaching a peak of 15.7% at 120 hr of culturing. In cultured but nonpelleted samples, only a few MLR were formed. With monoclonal antibodies, the lymphocytes forming MLR reacted mainly as CD4 positive and much less as CD8 (the ratio was 18:1). Monocyte-derived macrophages were able to form MLR when they underwent transformation into macrophages. The finding that the lymphocytes involved are T-cells, mainly CD4 positive, suggests that in the cell-cell interaction, macrophages could be presenting antigens to the lymphocytes. Besides, because the highest number of MLR occurred in TL samples, whereas few rosettes were formed in the mononuclear cell samples, the existence of some particular mechanism(s) acting on TL samples is suggested.     

Identification of signaling motifs within human Fc gamma RIIa and Fc gamma RIIb isoforms

To assess the functional capacity of the heterogeneous Fc gamma RII (CD32) family and to identify critical regions for functioning, we generated a panel of B-cell transfectants. The Fc gamma R-negative B- cell line IIA1.6 was transfected with wild-type or mutant human Fc gamma RIIa and IIb molecules. Solely Fc gamma RIIa-expressing IIA1.6 cells were capable of phagocytosing opsonized Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, and cross-linking of Fc gamma RIIa triggered a rapid induction of tyrosine phosphorylation after 20 seconds. Analysis of Fc gamma RIIa mutants identified the immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM; previously described as ARH-1 motif) within the IIa cytoplasmic tail to be critical for B-cell activation. In contrast, Fc gamma RIIb isoforms triggered tyrosine phosphorylation on cross- linking with much slower kinetics (> 3 minutes) than Fc gamma RIIa. Furthermore, solely Fc gamma RIIb molecules proved capable of downregulating [Ca2+]i and interleukin-2 production on co-cross-linking with sIgG in IIA1.6. The Fc gamma RIIb-mediated functions were absent in Fc gamma RIIb mutants in which the tyrosine or leucine within the YSLL motif in a conserved 13-aa region (now known as immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitor motif [ITIM]) were changed into phenylalanines. In conclusion, these data show the presence of functionally critical motifs within Fc gamma RII cytoplasmic tails. Fc gamma RIIa contains an ITAM involved in B-cell activatory functions, whereas the downregulatory activity of Fc gamma RIIb isoforms is linked to an ITIM.     

Acidity increases the uptake of native LDL by human monocyte-derived macrophages

The extracellular pH is locally decreased in advanced atherosclerotic lesions, particularly in lipid-rich areas of the lesions. Since accumulation of LDL-derived cholesterol and formation of foam cells are key processes in atherogenesis, we tested here the effects of acidic pH on the uptake of native LDL. First, human monocytes were differentiated into macrophages in the presence of granulocyte-monocyte-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) after which native LDL was applied to the monocyte-derived macrophages at pH 5.5, 6.5, or 7.5 and the binding and uptake of LDL by macrophages were determined. The lower the pH was, the higher was the binding and uptake of LDL by macrophages. Also, acidic pH was found to increase the production of cell surface proteoglycans by macrophages and binding of LDL to the glycosaminoglycan chains of the proteoglycans. The acidity-induced increase in the uptake of LDL by macrophages could be inhibited by pretreating the cells with heparinase and chondroitinase as well as by inhibiting the production of proteoglycans with NaClO(3). Thus, the observed increase in the uptake of native LDL to macrophages appears to depend on the increased ability of LDL to bind to cell surface proteoglycans at acidic pH. Taken together, our present results indicate that acidity increases the effective concentration of LDL on macrophage surfaces by increasing the amount of cell surface proteoglycans and by enhancing the binding of LDL to them and so promotes LDL uptake with ensuing foam cell formation.     

Functional heterogeneity of colony-stimulating factor-induced human monocyte-derived macrophages

Objectives:   Macrophages (Mφs) have various functions and play a critical role in host defense and the maintenance of homeostasis. Mφs exist in every tissue in the body, but Mφs from different tissues exhibit a wide range of phenotypes with regard to their morphology, cell surface antigen expression and function, and are called by different names. However, the precise mechanism of the generation of macrophage heterogeneity is not known. In the present study, the authors examined the functional heterogeneity of Mφs generated from human monocytes under the influence of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and macrophage-CSF (M-CSF).
Methodology:   CD14 positive human monocytes (Mos) were incubated with M-CSF and GM-CSF for 6–7 days to stimulate the generation of M-CSF-induced monocyte-derived Mφs (M-Mφs) and GM-CSF-induced monocyte-derived Mφs (GM-Mφs), respectively. The expression of cell surface antigens and several functions such as antigen presenting cell activity, susceptibility to oxidant stress, and the susceptibility to HIV-1 and mycobacterium tuberculosis infection were examined.
Results:   GM-Mφs and M-Mφs are distinct in their morphology, cell surface antigen expression, and functions examined. The phenotype of GM-Mφs closely resembles that of human Alveolar-Mφs (A-Mφs), indicating that CSF-induced human monocyte-derived Mφs are useful to clarify the molecular mechanism of heterogeneity of human Mφs, and GM-Mφs will become a model of human A-Mφs.     

Human Fc gamma RIII: cloning, expression, and identification of the chromosomal locus of two Fc receptors for IgG.

A cDNA clone encoding a human receptor for the Fc portion of IgG (Fc gamma R), Fc gamma RIII or CD16, was isolated from a human leukocyte library by a transient expression-immunoselection procedure. This cDNA (pGP5) encodes a 46-kDa phosphatidylinositol-linked cell surface protein with CD16 determinants and affinity for human IgG. The deduced protein sequence is most homologous to the murine receptor Fc gamma RII alpha, with slightly less homology to the human receptors Fc gamma RII and Fc epsilon RI. The cDNA hybridizes to a 2.2 kilobase mRNA in human leukocytes and a cloned human natural killer cell line. Fc gamma RIII is mapped to chromosome 1 by spot-blot analysis of sorted human chromosomes. Hybridization of Fc gamma RII and Fc gamma RIII probes to restriction digests of human genomic DNA separated by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis demonstrates physical linkage of the two genes within a maximum distance of 200 kilobases. The results identify a locus for at least two Fc gamma R genes on human chromosome 1.     

Low-dose azithromycin improves phagocytosis of bacteria by both alveolar and monocyte-derived macrophages in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease subjects

Background and objective: Chronic inflammation and reduced airways integrity in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) potentially results from secondary necrosis as a result of impaired phagocytosis of apoptotic material by airway macrophages, and increased bacterial colonization. We have previously shown that administration of low‐dose azithromycin to subjects with COPD improved macrophage phagocytosis of apoptotic airway epithelial cells, reduced inflammation and increased expression of macrophage mannose receptor. Methods: We firstly investigated whether there were defects in the ability of both alveolar (AM) and monocyte‐derived macrophages (MDM) to phagocytose bacteria in COPD, as we have previously reported for phagocytosis of apoptotic cells. We then assessed the effects of administration of low‐dose azithromycin to COPD patients on the ability of AM and MDM to phagocytose bacteria. Azithromycin (250 mg orally daily for 5 days then 2× weekly (total 12 weeks)) was administered to 11 COPD subjects and phagocytosis of fluorescein isothiocyanate‐labelled Escherichia coli assessed by flow cytometry. Results: COPD subjects had a significant defect in the ability of both AM and MDM to phagocytose bacteria that was significantly improved by administration of low‐dose azithromycin Conclusions: The data provide further support for the long‐term use of low dose azithromycin as an attractive adjunct treatment option for COPD. Improved clearance of both apoptotic cells and bacteria in the airway may have a dual effect; reducing the risk of secondary necrosis and release of toxic cell contents that perpetuate inflammation as well as contributing to a reduction in the rate of exacerbations in COPD.     

Gliclazide inhibits differentiation-associated biologic events in human monocyte-derived macrophages

We investigated the in vitro effect of gliclazide on human monocyte-derived macrophage scavenger receptor expression and activity, foam cell formation, and lipopolysaccharide-induced cytokine production. Differentiation of human monocytes into macrophages in the presence of gliclazide (1-10 microg/mL) decreased CD36 expression by 20% to 50%, with maximal effect occurring at 2.5 microg/mL (P<.05). This effect was mimicked by vitamin E (50 micromol/L) and N-acetyl-L-cysteine (10 mmol/L). Incubation of the cells with gliclazide and N-acetyl-L-cysteine also reduced CD36 activity by 30% (P<.02). Despite these effects, neither gliclazide nor vitamin E did affect foam cell formation. In contrast, gliclazide significantly reduced lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophage tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 6 secretion (P<.05). Overall, these data indicate that gliclazide, at concentrations in the therapeutic range, may regulate some key biologic events associated with the process of monocyte differentiation into macrophages.     

EC-SOD在同型半胱氨酸致单核细胞源性巨噬细胞氧化应激中的作用研究

目的探讨细胞外超氧化物岐化酶(EC-SOD)在同型半胱氨酸(Hcy)致巨噬细胞氧化应激中的作用及机制。方法将THP-1单核细胞用佛波酯刺激48 h后演变成巨噬细胞,用0、50、100、200、500μmol/L Hcy作用细胞72 h,并加设叶酸+维生素B12(Vit B12)干预组(100μmol/L Hcy+30μmol/L叶酸+30μmol/L Vit B12)。微板法检测氧化应激指标(H_2O_2、O_2~-、OH-)的变化;实时荧光定量PCR检测巨噬细胞中EC-SOD的mRNA表达水平;Western blot检测巨噬细胞中EC-SOD的蛋白表达水平;EC-SOD测定试剂盒检测EC-SOD活性。分别构建EC-SOD重组质粒和干扰质粒转染细胞,检测EC-SOD的mRNA及蛋白的表达水平以及超氧阴离子的表达。结果与对照组相比,100、200、500μmol/L Hcy组H_2O_2、OH-活性显著增高(P0.01),EC-SOD mRNA和蛋白表达明显降低(P0.01)。与对照组相比,100、200、500μmol/L Hcy组EC-SOD活性分别下降了13.92%、8.62%、10.32%(P0.05,P0.01)。与100μmol/L Hcy组相比,叶酸+Vit B12干预组EC-SOD mRNA的表达升高了47%。分别转染EC-SOD重组质粒和干扰质粒后,与100μmol/L Hcy组相比,EC-SOD重组组O_2~-含量降低了63.89%,干扰片段-596组O_2~-含量则增加了33.59%(P0.05,P0.01)。结论 EC-SOD参与了Hcy导致的单核细胞源性巨噬细胞的氧化应激。在抑制Hcy诱导动脉粥样硬化的过程中,EC-SOD可能发挥着重要的作用。