Expression of the transferrin receptor gene during the process of mononuclear phagocyte maturation

The expression of transferrin receptors by blood monocytes, human alveolar macrophages, and in vitro matured macrophages was evaluated by immunofluorescence, radioligand binding, and Northern analysis, using the monoclonal anti-human transferrin receptor antibody OKT9, [125I]-labeled human transferrin and a [32P]-labeled human transferrin receptor cDNA probe, respectively. By immunofluorescence, the majority of alveolar macrophages expressed transferrin receptors (86 +/- 3%). The radioligand binding assay demonstrated the affinity constant (Ka) of the alveolar macrophage transferrin receptor was 4.4 +/- 0.7 X 10(8) M-1, and the number of receptors per cell was 4.4 +/- 1.2 X 10(4). In marked contrast, transferrin receptors were not present on the surface or in the cytoplasm of blood monocytes, the precursors of the alveolar macrophages. However, when monocytes were cultured in vitro and allowed to mature, greater than 80% expressed transferrin receptors by day 6, and the receptors could be detected by day 3. Consistent with these observations, a transferrin receptor mRNA with a molecular size of 4.9 kb was demonstrated in alveolar macrophages and in vitro matured macrophages but not in blood monocytes. Thus, although blood monocytes do not express the transferrin receptor gene, it is expressed by mature macrophages, an event that probably occurs relatively early in the process of monocyte differentiation to macrophages.     

Transcriptional mechanisms regulating alveolar epithelial cell-specific CCL5 secretion in pulmonary tuberculosis

CCL5 (or RANTES (regulated upon activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted)) recruits T lymphocytes and monocytes. The source and regulation of CCL5 in pulmonary tuberculosis are unclear. Infection of the human alveolar epithelial cell line (A549) by Mycobacterium tuberculosis caused no CCL5 secretion and little monocyte secretion. Conditioned medium from tuberculosis-infected human monocytes (CoMTB) stimulated significant CCL5 secretion from A549 cells and from primary alveolar, but not upper airway, epithelial cells. Differential responsiveness of small airway and normal human bronchial epithelial cells to CoMTB but not to conditioned medium from unstimulated human monocytes was specific to CCL5 and not to CXCL8. CoMTB induced CCL5 mRNA accumulation in A549 cells and induced nuclear translocation of nuclear factor kappaB (NFkappaB) subunits p50, p65, and c-rel at 1 h; nuclear binding of activator protein (AP)-1 (c-Fos, FosB, and c-Jun) at 4-8 h; and binding of NF-interleukin (IL)-6 at 24 h. CCL5 promoter-reporter analysis using deletion and site-specific mutagenesis constructs demonstrated a key role for AP-1, NF-IL-6, and NFkappaB in driving CoMTB-induced promoter activity. The IL-1 receptor antagonist inhibited A549 and small airway epithelial cell CCL5 secretion, gene expression, and promoter activity. CoMTB contained IL-1beta, and recombinant IL-1beta reproduced CoMTB effects. Monocyte alveolar, but not upper airway, epithelial cell networks in pulmonary tuberculosis cause AP-1-, NF-IL-6-, and NFkappaB-dependent CCL5 secretion. IL-1beta is the critical regulator of tuberculosis-stimulated CCL5 secretion in the lung.     

Production and characterization of a monoclonal antibody (A1-3) that binds selectively to activated monocytes and inhibits monocyte procoagulant activity

We describe the generation and characterization of a new monoclonal antibody, A1-3, which possesses two unique properties. First, A1-3 binds selectively to stimulated human monocytes. Secondly, A1-3 inhibits the procoagulant activity expressed by stimulated monocytes and by human brain tissue factor. Unstimulated human peripheral blood cells (granulocytes, lymphocytes, monocytes, red blood cells, and platelets), prepared in the absence of detectable endotoxin, express no procoagulant activity and fail to bind A1-3. Stimulation of peripheral blood monocytes. alveolar macrophages, or the monocyte-like cell line U937, however, results in the expression of procoagulant activity and the binding of A1-3. The surface antigen recognized by A1-3 was recovered from endotoxin-stimulated human monocyte vesicles by immune precipitation and demonstrated an apparent m.w. of approximately 52,000. It is proposed that the monoclonal antibody A1-3 detects a differentiation antigen on human monocytes that is expressed in response to stimuli for monocyte activation.     

Monocyte procollagenase and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases. Identification, characterization, and regulation of secretion

Alveolar macrophages have been shown to secrete a procollagenase and the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP), which are similar or identical to the corresponding proteins of human skin fibroblasts. Little is known, however, about the collagenolytic activity of normal human monocytes. We have applied immunologic, biochemical, and molecular biologic tools to examine the collagenolytic profile of freshly isolated peripheral blood monocytes. Our studies indicate that: 1) monocytes are capable of producing both procollagenase and TIMP that are identical to the corresponding products of skin fibroblasts, alveolar macrophages, and U-937 cells; 2) unstimulated monocytes in vitro secrete high levels of TIMP, but little or no procollagenase; 3) an as yet unidentified component(s) of serum are required for in vitro production of TIMP (but not procollagenase) by monocytes; 4) even when stimulated, monocytes secrete much smaller quantities of procollagenase in comparison with macrophages; and 5) regulation of the secretion of procollagenase and TIMP by monocytes exhibits a high degree of individual variability, but is nevertheless subject to clearly different control mechanisms than our previous findings would indicate for alveolar macrophages. Monocytes thus express a macrophage-like, rather than a neutrophil-like, profile of proteins capable of mediating collagen turnover, the regulation of which is distinct from that of more differentiated alveolar macrophages. Further study of monocyte and macrophage collagenolytic activities may provide insights into both the cell biology of mononuclear phagocyte maturation and the mechanisms by which such cells mediate the turnover of interstitial collagens.     

Elafin prevents lipopolysaccharide-induced AP-1 and NF-kappaB activation via an effect on the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway

The serine anti-protease elafin is expressed by monocytes, alveolar macrophages, neutrophils, and at mucosal surfaces and possesses antimicrobial activity. It is also known to reduce lipopolysaccharide-induced neutrophil influx into murine alveoli as well as to abrogate lipopolysaccharide-induced production of matrix metalloprotease 9, macrophage inhibitory protein 2, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha by as-yet unidentified mechanisms. In this report we have shown that elafin inhibits the lipopolysaccharide-induced production of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 in monocytes by inhibiting AP-1 and NF-kappaB activation. Elafin prevented lipopolysaccharide-induced phosphorylation of AP-1, c-Jun, and JNK but had no effect on phosphorylation of p38. The lipopolysaccharide-induced degradation of IL-1R-associated kinase 1, IkappaBalpha, and IkappaBbeta was inhibited by elafin but phosphorylation of IkappaBalpha was unaffected. Polyubiquitinated protein including polyubiquitinated IkappaBalpha was shown to accumulate in the presence of elafin. These results suggest that inhibition by elafin of lipopolysaccharide-induced AP-1 and NF-kappaB activation occurs via an effect on the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway.     

Wheat-germ agglutinin binding in four types of mouse peritoneal macrophage

Summary After stimulation of the mouse peritoneal cavity with newborn calf serum (NBCS), four types of monocyte and macrophage were distinguished on the basis of peroxidase (PO) patterns. These cell types showed heterogeneity in their binding of the lectin wheat-germ agglutinin (WGA). At 16 h after stimulation, monocytes and monocyte-derived macrophages (with PO activity in granules) had a high level of WGA binding; PO-negative macrophages showed moderate WGA binding, and resident macrophages (with PO activity in the RER and nuclear envelope) had low WGA binding. At later time-points after stimulation, each of these cell types lost WGA binding sites. This decrease was related to a process of differentiation and to a modulation, affected by environmental factors. The present results also indicated that PO-negative macrophages can give rise to resident macrophages. Whether these PO-negative cells are monocyte derived or originate otherwise needs further investigation. The fourth type of macrophage, the exudate-resident cell (wtth PO activity both in granules and in the RER and nuclear envelope), with a WGA binding pattern similar to that of monocytes and monocyte-derived macrophages, was considered not to be a resident precursor cell.     

Constitutive monocyte-restricted activity of NF-M, a nuclear factor that binds to a C/EBP motif.

In a search for monocyte-specific nuclear factors, we analyzed in human cells the promoter of the chicken myelomonocytic growth factor, a gene that, in the chicken, is expressed in myeloid and myelomonocytic cells. Reporter gene constructs were active in monocytic Mono Mac 6 cells and in monoblastic THP-1 cells but not in the hematopoietic stem cell line K562. When a region with homology to the sequence recognized by CAAT enhancer-binding proteins (C/EBP) was inactivated by site-directed mutagenesis, the reporter activity was reduced by a factor of 10. Multimers of this region, termed F, in front of a heterologous promoter were active in Mono Mac 6 and THP-1 cells but not in K562 cells, WIL2 B cells, BT20 mammary carcinoma cells, MelJuso melanoma cells, or SK-Hep-1 hepatoma cells. Gel shift analysis with the F oligonucleotide identified DNA-binding activity in monocytic Mono Mac 6, monoblastic THP-1, and myelomonocytic HL60 cells. No binding was detected in myelomonocytic RC2A cells, in myeloid KG-1 cells, or in the hematopoietic stem cell line K562. Furthermore, a panel of solid tumor cell lines, representing various tissues, were also negative. Stimulation by PMA could not induce this binding factor in any of the negative cell lines. Analysis of primary cells (granulocytes, T cells, monocytes, and alveolar macrophages) revealed binding activity only in monocytes and macrophages. This DNA-binding factor, termed NF-M, was found to consist of two molecules, of 50 and 72 kDa, as determined by affinity cross-linking. Binding of NF-M was competed by the region F oligonucleotide and by the C/EBP motif from the albumin enhancer but not by an AP-2 motif. These data suggest that NF-M is a member of the C/EBP family of nuclear factors. The monocyte-restricted activity of NF-M suggests that this nuclear factor may be involved in regulation of monocyte-specific genes.