Cell-associated tumor necrosis factor (TNF) as a killing mechanism of activated cytotoxic macrophages

Different macrophage populations were investigated for their abilities to secrete tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and to lyse TNF-susceptible tumor cells. In this way we could demonstrate that TNF-secretion, although a feature of all activated macrophage populations, is no absolute requirement for the killing of the TNF-sensitive Wehi 164 target. Macrophage cytotoxicity against this cell but not against the TNF-resistant P815 mastocytoma, was completely inhibitable by a specific anti-TNF serum also in the absence of measurable secreted TNF. Moreover the TNF-dependent lysis of tumor cells could also be performed by activated macrophages that had been fixed with paraformaldehyde before the addition of the target cells. In the indirect radioimmunoassay, TNF could be demonstrated on the surface of fixed effector cells. Our results must be interpreted in terms of membrane-associated TNF as the lytic principle for TNF-susceptible tumor cells.     

Prostaglandin E2 does not inhibit tumoricidal activity of mouse macrophages against adherent tumor cells

We determined whether endogenously produced PGE2 can down-regulate the tumoricidal properties of macrophages by a negative feedback mechanism. Peritoneal exudate macrophages or resident peritoneal macrophages of mice were incubated in medium (control) or in medium containing IFN-gamma and LPS. Activated macrophages were highly tumoricidal against syngeneic melanoma cells and secreted high levels of PGE2. Treatment with indomethacin or diclofenac sodium (voltaren) completely inhibited the production and secretion of PGE2 but not the tumoricidal activity of activated macrophages measured either immediately after activation or 1 to 3 days thereafter. Finally, the addition of exogenous PGE2 did not alter the ability of peritoneal exudate macrophages to respond to IFN-gamma or of LPS to produce high levels of tumor cell lysis. Collectively, these results show that PGE2 produced by activated macrophages is not a down-regulator of their tumoricidal activity against adherent tumor cells.     

Differences in the tumor necrosis factor-alpha-mediated lysis by fixed natural cytotoxic cells and fixed cytotoxic macrophages

TNF-alpha has been shown to be associated with macrophage cell membranes in such a way as to retain cytolytic activity despite fixation of the macrophage effector cells with paraformaldehyde. In this paper we report that, similar to cytotoxic macrophages, natural cytotoxic (NC) cells also use cell-associated TNF to lyse sensitive target cells. However, in contrast to fixed cytotoxic macrophages, NC cells do not retain cytolytic activity after fixation with paraformaldehyde. Additionally, the cytolytic activity of paraformaldehyde-fixed NC cells is not increased by incubation with LPS or by incubation with rTNF before fixation. Western blot analysis indicates that, unlike macrophages, NC cells use a smaller (17 kDa) constitutively active form of TNF. These results indicate that, although both macrophages and NC cells use effector cell-associated TNF to mediate lysis of sensitive targets, the way in which TNF is associated with these two types of effector cells must be different.     

Both tumor necrosis factor and nitric oxide participate in lysis of simian virus 40-transformed cells by activated macrophages.

SV40 transformation of rodent fibroblasts generally produces cells that are highly sensitive to killing by activated macrophages. The cell line SV-COL-E8 (E8) is typical of SV40-transformed mouse fibroblasts in that it is readily lysed when exposed to activated macrophages. This killing is not due solely to TNF, because soluble TNF alone is incapable of lysing these cells. TNF is, however, necessary for lysis since antibodies to TNF will prevent macrophage-mediated lysis. Similarly, E8 is not sensitive to nitric oxide (NO); however, NO is also necessary for lysis since inhibition of NO generation (by coincubation with the arginine analogue NG-monomethyl-1-arginine) with Fe(II)) blocks lysis of E8 by activated macrophages. Cytolysis by macrophages is contact dependent, suggesting that the cell-associated TNF precursor may be involved in mediating cytolysis. However, transfected cell lines bearing cell-associated TNF precursor do not mediate killing of E8. Thus, killing of E8 either involves both TNF and NO in addition to a third, as yet unidentified, lytic mechanism, or killing requires the contact-dependent delivery of TNF and NO from the macrophage to its target.     

CD40 ligation activates murine macrophages via an IFN-gamma-dependent mechanism resulting in tumor cell destruction in vitro

We have shown previously that agonistic anti-CD40 mAb induced T cell-independent antitumor effects in vivo. In this study, we investigated mechanisms of macrophage activation with anti-CD40 mAb treatment, assessed by the antitumor action of macrophages in vitro. Intraperitoneal injection of anti-CD40 mAb into C57BL/6 mice resulted in activation of peritoneal macrophages capable of suppressing B16 melanoma cell proliferation in vitro, an effect that was greatly enhanced by LPS and observed against several murine and human tumor cell lines. Anti-CD40 mAb also primed macrophages in vitro to mediate cytostatic effects in the presence of LPS. The tumoristatic effect of CD40 ligation-activated macrophages was associated with apoptosis and killing of tumor cells. Activation of macrophages by anti-CD40 mAb required endogenous IFN-gamma because priming of macrophages by anti-CD40 mAb was abrogated in the presence of anti-IFN-gamma mAb, as well as in IFN-gamma-knockout mice. Macrophages obtained either from C57BL/6 mice depleted of T and NK cells by Ab treatment, or from scid/beige mice, were still activated by anti-CD40 mAb to mediate cytostatic activity. These results argued against the role of NK and T cells as the sole source of exogenous IFN-gamma for macrophage activation and suggested that anti-CD40 mAb-activated macrophages could produce IFN-gamma. We confirmed this hypothesis by detecting intracytoplasmic IFN-gamma in macrophages activated with anti-CD40 mAb in vivo or in vitro. IFN-gamma production by macrophages was dependent on IL-12. Taken together, the results show that murine macrophages are activated directly by anti-CD40 mAb to secrete IFN-gamma and mediate tumor cell destruction.     

Production of tumor necrosis factor by rIFN-gamma-primed C3H/HeJ (Lpsd) macrophages requires the presence of lipid A-associated proteins

Previous studies have shown that the activation of murine macrophages to a fully tumoricidal state requires that specific environmental signals be delivered to the macrophage in a step-wise manner: a "priming" signal first renders the macrophage stimulated, but not cytolytic. The addition of a second or "trigger" signal to the primed macrophage results in tumoricidal activity. One potent priming signal has been identified as IFN-gamma and one often used trigger signal for endotoxin-responsive (Lpsn) macrophages is LPS. In contrast to LPS-responsive macrophage, rIFN-gamma-primed C3H/HeJ (Lpsd) macrophages fail to become cytolytic in response to protein-free, phenol-water-extracted LPS preparations, but become tumoricidal when exposed in vitro to protein-rich butanol-extracted LPS or purified lipid A-associated proteins. Further characterization of the activation requirements of the C3H/HeJ macrophages revealed that for optimal elaboration of TNF in vitro, two signals were also required: rIFN-gamma and a second signal that contained LAP. C3H/HeJ macrophages macrophages primed with rIFN-gamma failed to produce TNF in response to any concentration of protein-free phenol-water extracted LPS, even when supernatants were concentrated before assaying for functional activity in a standard TNF L929 fibroblast assay. Although exposure of rIFN-gamma-primed C3H/HeJ macrophages to LAP resulted in a fully tumoricidal state equivalent to that exhibited by C3H/OuJ macrophages, the levels of TNF produced remained discrepant. Under identical conditions, C3H/OuJ macrophages produced approximately fivefold more TNF (11,776 U/ml) than C3H/HeJ macrophages (2,399 U/ml). This suggests that although C3H/HeJ macrophages can respond functionally in a "normal" manner given the correct signals, they remain quantitatively deficient in the production of certain proteins. In this system, the elaboration of TNF and macrophage-mediated tumor cell lysis were shown to be dissociable events. The tumor target used in these studies (P815) was shown to be resistant to as much as 40,000 U/ml of purified rTNF. In addition, C3H/OuJ macrophage cultures exposed to LPS only (which resulted in the production of high levels of TNF), failed to lyse these targets. Lastly, anti-mouse TNF antibody added to macrophage cultures had no effect on the induction of tumor cell lysis.     

TPA induction of EL4 resistance to macrophage-released TNF: role of ADP-ribosylation in tumoricidal activities of TNF and other factors

Activated macrophages synthesize and release numerous tumoricidal soluble factors that can be divided into receptor- or nonreceptor-dependent agents. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) would be an example of the former. In our experimental model the killing of EL4 thymoma cells by syngeneic activated macrophages involves, but not exclusively, TNF. Our results show that approximately 50% of the anti-EL4 activity expressed by macrophages can be specifically inhibited with rabbit anti-mouse TNF antibody. EL4 variants resistant to the lytic activity of TNF were still susceptible to macrophage-mediated lysis. A tumor-promoting phorbol ester, TPA, rendered TNF-sensitive and -insensitive EL4 cells resistant to M phi-mediated lysis. However, TPA down-regulated TNF-specific binding sites on both TNF-sensitive and -resistant cell surface membranes, suggesting that resistance to TNF involves postligand:receptor events. Tumor cell G-protein involvement (ADP-ribosylation), as a result of TNF-TNF receptor interactions, was investigated. The results showed that pertussis toxin was cytotoxic against TNF-sensitive and -resistant EL4 cells but not against TPA-treated target cells. Inhibitors of ADP-ribosyltransferase inhibited pertussis toxin cytotoxicity and macrophage-mediated lysis but did not interfere with recombinant TNF lytic activity.     

Regulation of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) expression: interferon-gamma enhances the accumulation of mRNA for TNF induced by lipopolysaccharide in murine peritoneal macrophages

The secretion of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) by macrophages is initiated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS); considerable evidence indicates that such secretion can be potentiated by interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma). The present studies show that accumulation of mRNA for tumor necrosis factor, which represents an important regulatory focus for controlling secretion of TNF, is enhanced by physiologic doses of IFN-gamma (20 units/ml of purified recombinant IFN-gamma). mRNA for TNF induced by LPS, which was maximal 2 hr after LPS was applied to the cells, was enhanced 5- to 8-fold by IFN-gamma as determined by Northern blot analysis. Interferon did not change the kinetics of accumulation but did change the dose effects of LPS in that increasing amounts of LPS led to increasing amounts of TNF mRNA in IFN-gamma-treated macrophages. IFN-gamma itself, however, did not induce expression of TNF mRNA. These studies document that IFN-gamma potentiates the cytoplasmic accumulation of mRNA for TNF induced in murine peritoneal macrophages by LPS.     

Potentiation of lymphokine-induced macrophage activation by tumor necrosis factor-alpha

In this study, we examined the possible role of TNF-alpha and lymphotoxin (TNF-beta) as cofactors of macrophage activation. The results demonstrate that both TNF were capable of enhancing the cytostatic and cytolytic activity of murine peritoneal macrophages against Eb lymphoma cells. The potentiation of tumor cytotoxicity became apparent when macrophages from DBA/2 mice were suboptimally activated by either a T cell clone-derived macrophage-activating factor or by IFN-gamma plus LPS. Neither TNF-alpha nor TNF-beta could induce tumor cytotoxicity in IFN-gamma-primed macrophages, indicating that TNF cannot replace LPS as a triggering signal of activation. In LPS-resistant C3H/HeJ macrophages, which were unresponsive to IFN-gamma plus LPS, a supplementation with TNF fully restored activation to tumor cytotoxicity. Furthermore, TNF-alpha potentiated a variety of other functions in low-level activated macrophages such as a lactate production and release of cytotoxic factors. At the same time, TNF-alpha produced a further down-regulation of pinocytosis, tumor cell binding and RNA synthesis observed in activated macrophages. These data demonstrate new activities for both TNF-alpha and TNF-beta as helper factors that facilitate macrophage activation. In particular, the macrophage product TNF-alpha may serve as an autocrine signal to potentiate those macrophage functions that were insufficiently activated by lymphokines.     

Cytolytic mechanisms of activated macrophages. Tumor necrosis factor and L-arginine-dependent mechanisms act synergistically as the major cytolytic mechanisms of activated macrophages

We examined the cytolytic mechanisms of activated macrophages by using proteose peptone- or thioglycollate broth-induced mouse peritoneal macrophages or mouse macrophage hybridomas as effector cells, L.P3 cells, a clone of L929 cells, and P815 cells as target cells, and IFN-gamma and LPS as activators. It was determined that TNF is the main cytolytic molecule against L.P3 cells from the following results: 1) activated macrophages can produce TNF; 2) TNF shows cytotoxic activity against L.P3 cells; 3) the addition of anti-TNF antibody inhibited most of the cytolytic activity of activated macrophages against L.P3 cells. On the other hand, it was concluded that the main cytolytic mechanism against P815 cells is the production of NO2-/NO3- from L-arginine, from the following results: 1) activated macrophages can produce NO2-; 2) NaNO2 shows high cytotoxic activity against P815 cells; 3) the depletion of L-arginine from the medium inhibited most of the cytolytic activity of activated macrophages against P815 cells and NO2- production by activated macrophages. In this study, however, cytostatic effects of L-arginine-dependent effector mechanism were not studied. Thus, these results show that activated macrophages can express at least two cytolytic mechanisms independently, namely, the one that appears to be mediated by the L-arginine-dependent effector mechanism and the second that appears to be mediated directly by TNF. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that TNF and L-arginine-dependent NO2- production act synergistically as killing mechanisms of activated macrophages. These mechanisms can explain the cytolytic activity of activated macrophages against a variety of target cells.     

Tumor target-derived soluble factor synergizes with IFN-gamma and IL-2 to activate macrophages for tumor necrosis factor and nitric oxide production to mediate cytotoxicity of the same target.

Inflammatory mouse peritoneal macrophages were activated by IFN-gamma in synergy with IL-2 or Lipid A to mediate TNF production for autocrine generation of cytotoxic nitric oxide (NO) to kill P815 or L1210 tumor targets. It was determined that for IL-2, but not Lipid A, to effectively trigger activation of IFN-gamma-primed macrophages, the tumor targets must be also present for interaction with effector macrophages to mediate the production of TNF and NO. IFN-gamma- and IL-2-activated macrophages from syngeneic DBA/2 and allogeneic C3H mice had identical MHC-unrestricted requirements for interaction with DBA/2 mouse-derived P815 and L1210 targets to mediate production of TNF and NO for tumor cytotoxicity. To further define the mechanistic requirements for macrophage-tumor target interaction, IFN-gamma- and IL-2-activated macrophages were separated from P815 targets in culture by a semipermeable membrane. Under these conditions, both TNF and NO were produced by the macrophage, which indicated that the requirement for tumor target-macrophage interaction may be due to a soluble factor produced by the target rather than to direct physical contact. This was confirmed by experiments in which 24-h cell-free culture fluids, derived from either P815 or L1210 tumor targets, substituted for the intact tumor cells in the stimulation of TNF mRNA synthesis and secretion with NO generation of TNF mRNA synthesis and secretion with NO generation by IFN-gamma- and IL-2-activated C3H or DBA/2 macrophages. The activity in 24-h culture fluids derived from P815 and L1210 tumor targets was tentatively designated as tumor-derived recognition factor(s) (TDRF) since it was produced constitutively by the tumor targets and synergized with IFN-gamma and IL-2 to induce macrophage production of TNF and NO for death of the same targets. A variety of nontransformed human and mouse fibroblasts, mouse spleen lymphocytes, and two adherent mouse fibrosarcomas did not produce detectable TDRF activity, whereas two mouse T lymphomas, EL4 and EL4.IL-2, produced TDRF activity similar to L1210 mouse leukemia and P815 mastocytoma. The C3H/MCA, a TDRF-nonproducing mouse fibrosarcoma, was susceptible to cytotoxicity mediated by macrophages activated by IFN-gamma and Lipid A, but not by IL-2 triggering. Exogenous TDRF derived from L1210 targets reconstituted the cytotoxic activity for C3H/MCA MCA targets mediated by IFN-gamma- and IL-2-activated macrophages accompanied by the production of TNF and cytotoxic NO.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Tumor necrosis factor and IL-1 associated with plasma membranes of activated human monocytes lyse monokine-sensitive but not monokine-resistant tumor cells whereas viable activated monocytes lyse both

The purpose of our study was to determine some of the mechanisms involved in macrophage-mediated lysis of tumorigenic cells. A375 human melanoma cells (A375-R) resistant to lysis mediated by TNF and IL-1 were selected from the TNF- and IL-1-sensitive A375 parental melanoma cells subsequent to continuous (2 mo) exposure to rTNF. Peripheral blood monocytes isolated by centrifugal elutriation from healthy donors were incubated with rIFN-gamma and muramyl dipeptide, with a lipoprotein derived from Escherichia coli (CG-31362) or with LPS for 24 h. These activated monocytes lysed both the A375 (monokine-sensitive) and A375-R (monokine-resistant) melanoma cells. Activated tumoricidal macrophages fixed in 2% paraformaldehyde lysed only the TNF- and IL-1-sensitive A375 cells. These fixed monocytes contained both IL-1 and TNF activities as determined by D10 cell proliferation and L929 cytolysis assays, respectively. Nearly identical results were obtained with preparations of plasma membranes from activated human monocytes. Anti-IL-1 and/or anti-TNF sera neutralized the cytolysis of tumor cells mediated by free monokines, by fixed monocytes, or by plasma membrane preparations. In contrast, anti-TNF and/or anti-IL-1 sera did not inhibit tumor cell lysis by viable activated monocytes. We conclude that IL-1 and TNF molecules associated with the plasma membranes of activated monocytes mediate lysis of susceptible target cells. However, because activated monocytes lysed IL-1-and TNF-resistant target cells, molecules other than these monokines must also be involved in the antitumor activity of monocytes.     

Leishmania major amastigotes initiate the L-arginine-dependent killing mechanism in IFN-gamma-stimulated macrophages by induction of tumor necrosis factor-alpha

Macrophages exposed to IFN-gamma and infected with amastigotes of Leishmania major develop the capacity to eliminate the intracellular pathogen. This antimicrobial activity of activated macrophages correlates with the initiation of nitrogen oxidation of L-arginine, yet other reports suggest that two signals are required for induction of this biochemical pathway for effector activity. In the present studies, macrophages treated with up to 100 U/ml IFN-gamma, or 100 ng LPS, or 10(7) amastigotes produced minimal quantities (less than 9 microM) of NO2- and failed to develop cytotoxic effector activities. In contrast, the combination of IFN-gamma and either LPS (greater than 0.1 ng) or amastigotes (10(6) induced high concentrations (much greater than 30 microM) of NO2- and macrophage cytotoxicity against intra- and extracellular targets. The induction of nitrogen oxidation by amastigotes could be dissociated from LPS-induced events by 1) performing the assays in the presence of polymyxin B (which blocked LPS effects, but not amastigote effects), 2) determining the threshold of IFN-gamma required to prime cells for subsequent trigger (1 U/ml for LPS trigger effects; 10-fold higher for amastigotes), and 3) determining the heat sensitivity of the two trigger agents (amastigote effects abolished at 100 degrees C; LPS effects unaffected at this temperature). Further, culture fluids from amastigote-infected macrophages did not contain detectable LPS (less than 6 pg/ml). Possible parasite and cell-associated factors that could contribute to the induction of nitrogen oxidation and cytotoxic activity of IFN-gamma treated macrophages were examined: only certain intact microorganisms, LPS from a variety of bacteria, and the cytokine TNF alpha were effective. Both NO2- production and intracellular killing were abolished by the addition of anti-TNF-alpha mAb in the assay. TNF-alpha was produced by amastigote-infected macrophages and IFN-gamma dramatically enhanced secretion of this cytokine; IFN-gamma alone had no effect. Endogenous TNF-alpha produced during infection of macrophages with L. major acted in an autocrine fashion to trigger the production of L-arginine-derived toxic nitrogen intermediates that killed the intracellular parasites.     

The cytolytic function of mononuclear phagocytes. II. Factors that determine the binding and lysis of tumor cells by activated macrophages

The effects of various modifiers upon the interaction of LPS- and BCG-activated macrophages with cells of mastocytoma P815 have been investigated. The efficiency of binding and lysis of the tumor cells is to a great extent determined by activation of the effector-cells, expression of the trypsin-sensitive receptors on the surface of macrophages, and by the type of target-cells. Introduction into the analytical system (effector-target) of unlabeled tumor cells or membrane preparations obtained from them inhibits substantially both binding and lytic activity of cytotoxic macrophages. If nontransformed cells or their membranes are applied, no significant changes in the investigated processes can be detected. Trypsinization of tumor cells as well as of activated but not resident macrophages modifies considerably the interaction of effectors with targets. The quantity of tumor cells bound with macrophages does not depend on the fact, which of the partners is subject to trypsinization, but it is much less than that of target-cells bound in the control. The incubation of activated macrophages with actinomycin D results in a substantial suppression of their lytic activity, whereas treatment of tumor cells with this inhibitor of protein synthesis leads to a considerable decrease in stability of the targets against lytic activity of the factor activated by effectors. The obtained data reveal the ways of selective binding and effective lysis of transformed targets by activated macrophages.     

Identification and characterization of monoclonal antibodies specific for macrophages at intermediate stages in the tumoricidal activation pathway

Macrophage activation for tumor cell killing is a multistep pathway in which responsive macrophages interact sequentially with priming and triggering stimuli in the acquisition of full tumoricidal activity. A number of mediators have been identified which have activating capability, including in particular IFN-gamma and bacterial LPS. Although the synergistic functional response of normal macrophages to sequential incubation with these activation signals has been well-established, characterization of the intermediate stages in the activation pathway has been difficult. We have developed a model system for examination of various aspects of macrophage activation, through the use of the murine macrophage tumor cell line, RAW 264.7. These cells, like normal macrophages, exhibit a strict requirement for interaction with both IFN-gamma and LPS in the development of tumor cytolytic activity. In addition, these cells can be stably primed by the administration of gamma-radiation. In the studies reported here, we have used RAW 264.7 cells treated with IFN-gamma alone or with IFN-gamma plus LPS to stimulate the production of rat mAb probes recognizing cell surface changes occurring during the activation process. In this way we have identified three Ag associated with intermediate stages of the activation process. One Ag, TM-1, is expressed on RAW 264.7 cells primed by IFN-gamma or gamma-radiation. This surface Ag thus identifies cells at the primed cell intermediate stage of the tumoricidal activation pathway regardless of the mechanism of activation. A second Ag, TM-2, is expressed on IFN-treated RAW 264.7 cells but not on RAW 264.7 cells primed with gamma-radiation alone. Expression of this Ag can be induced by treatment of irradiated cells with IFN-gamma, but is not induced by IFN-gamma treatment of a noncytolytic cell line, WEHI-3. This Ag thus appears to be an IFN-inducible cell surface protein associated specifically with macrophage activation for tumoricidal activity. Finally, Ag TM-3 is detectable on RAW 264.7 cells primed by either IFN-gamma or gamma-radiation, after subsequent triggering of the primed cells with LPS. The addition of the mAb recognizing this antigen to the function assay of tumor cell killing can inhibit they lytic activity of both triggered cells. Thus, this Ag may play a role in the antitumor effector functions of activated macrophages. Overall, the results suggest that these mAb can serve as useful tools for identification of molecules associated with the process of macrophage activation for tumor cell killing.     

The production of tumor necrosis factor by mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages in response to bacterial lipopolysaccharide and a chemically synthesized monosaccharide precursor

Lipid X, a monosaccharide biosynthetic precursor of lipid A, has been chemically synthesized and was shown to induce bone marrow-derived macrophages to release tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in vitro. However, relatively high amounts of lipid X were necessary for induction, and the levels of TNF were much less than those induced by small amounts of lipid A itself or LPS. Lipid X prepared by extraction of Escherichia coli mutants induced higher levels of TNF than the chemically synthesized material, but this is probably partially due to amounts of impurities in the extracted material. Pretreatment of macrophages with IFN-gamma resulted in the release of higher amounts of TNF on subsequent induction with either LPS or lipid X. In contrast, pretreatment of macrophages with LPS induced hyporesponsiveness for TNF production on subsequent rechallenge with LPS. Lipid X, on the other hand, was incapable of making macrophages hyporesponsive for TNF production.     

Cytotoxic activity and production of toxic nitrogen oxides by macrophages treated with IFN-gamma and monoclonal antibodies against the 73-kDa lipopolysaccharide receptor.

The hamster IgM mAb 5D3 is specific for an 73-kDa LPS receptor on murine leukocytes. This mAb inhibits binding of radiolabeled LPS to splenocytes and acts as an agonist for induction of LPS-mediated changes in macrophage function. Resident peritoneal macrophages treated with IFN-gamma and mAb 5D3 developed potent cytotoxic activity against tumor cells. Cells treated with IFN-gamma or mAb 5D3 alone were inactive. Macrophage cytotoxic activity induced by IFN-gamma and mAb 5D3 was inhibited by NGMMLA and coincident with high levels of NO2-released into culture fluids. These data show that mAb 5D3 serves as an effective trigger signal for induction of cytotoxic activity with IFN-gamma-primed macrophages. Indeed, mAb 5D3 exactly mimicked the effects of LPS in these same systems. Unlike LPS, effects of mAb 5D3 on induction of macrophage cytotoxic activity and production of nitrogen oxides was abrogated after boiling, and not affected by addition of polymyxin B. The effects of LPS and mAb 5D3 as a trigger signal for IFN-gamma-primed macrophages were associated with production of TNF activity in culture fluids and inhibited by mAb against rTNF-alpha. Expression of class II MHC on macrophages induced by IFN-gamma treatment was suppressed by both LPS and mAb 5D3. These suppressive effects of LPS and mAb 5D3 were not affected by NGMMLA or mAb against rTNF-alpha. Finally, macrophages treated with LPS or mAb 5D3 before exposure to IFN-gamma and LPS or mAb 5D3 did not develop cytotoxic activity or high levels of NO2- in the culture fluids. These same cells developed both effector activities after addition of rTNF-alpha. These results in toto identify the 73-kDa protein as a receptor that mediates LPS-induced changes in macrophage effector function. The mAb 5D3 serves as a specific and defined reagent agonist for analysis of LPS receptor-linked change.     

Evidence for the existence of two forms of membrane tumor necrosis factor: an integral protein and a molecule attached to its receptor

Plasma membranes were isolated from thioglycolate-induced peritoneal mouse macrophages and tested directly in a 51Cr-release assay against WEHI 164 tumor cells. These membranes showed anti-TNF antibody inhibitable killing of the TNF-sensitive tumor cell line, indicating that membrane-associated TNF is present on mouse macrophages. In order to elucidate whether membrane TNF is an integral protein or a molecule attached to a receptor, cells and plasma membranes were treated with low pH buffer. A partial reduction in TNF activity was observed which could be restored by incubation with exogenous TNF. In a Western blot analysis the integral membrane TNF could be identified as the 26-kDa molecule on activated mouse macrophages. These results indicate that both forms of membrane-associated TNF exist on macrophages and are responsible for cell-mediated cytotoxicity against TNF-alpha-sensitive targets.     

Processing of newly synthesized cachectin/tumor necrosis factor in endotoxin-stimulated macrophages

The biosynthesis and processing of cachetin/tumor necrosis-factor (TNF) were examined in the murine macrophage-like cell line RAW 264.7. Lipopolysaccharide-stimulated cells secreted both glycosylated and nonglycosylated 17-kilodalton (kDa) mature cachectin/TNF into the culture medium. Secreted cachectin/TNF was derived from membrane-associated precursors that were precipitated by polyclonal antisera raised against either the mature protein or synthetic peptide fragments of the 79 amino acid cachectin/TNF prohormone sequence. About half of the precursors were N-glycosylated, apparently cotranslationally. The cachectin/TNF precursors were then proteolytically cleaved to release soluble mature cytokine into the medium, while the membrane-bound 14-kDa presequence remained cell associated. During the period of LPS stimulation, the amount of macrophage cell surface cachectin/TNF remained at a low level, suggesting that both nonglycosylated and glycosylated precursors of cachectin/TNF are efficiently cleaved by these cells. These findings suggest the presence of a unique mechanism for the secretion of cachectin/TNF.     

Antibody-dependent cytolysis (ADCC) of tumor cells by activated murine macrophages is a two-step process: Quantification of target binding and subsequent target lysis

To analyze the antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) reaction between tumor cells and activated murine macrophages in detail, it must be first determined if physical binding occurred between the two cell types. Over 15–20 min in vitro, antibody-coated HSB neoplastic targets became so firmly attached to the activated macrophages that they resisted removal with 4 vigorous washes. When a quantitative assay of binding was employed, attachment of tumor cells to activated macrophages was found to depend on the concentration of antibody and on the density of the macrophages. These two variables also determined the subsequent extent of cytolysis. Binding of antibody-coated targets by macrophages elicited with thioglycollate broth or activated by bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) was comparable. Lysis by the activated macrophages, however, was far greater. Binding occurred at 4, 22, or 37 °C, while the subsequent lytic reaction occurred only at 37 °C. Thioglycollate broth effectively inhibited lysis but had no effect on binding. A porous filter placed between activated macrophages and targets resulted in abrogation of binding and lysis, even when antibody-coated targets were placed beneath the filters. When labeled, uncoated targets were added to cultures of macrophages in the presence of unlabeled antibody-coated targets, no lysis of the bystander (i.e., uncoated) targets was seen. The data suggest that ADCC is a multistep reaction, that vigorous physical binding of antibody-coated targets by activated macrophages is an initial and necessary step in ADCC, that such binding is not sufficient for ADCC, that such binding controls the selectivity of lysis in ADCC, and that the second step in ADCC results in target lysis.