Changes in macrophage status in vivo during infection with and immunity to Leishmania enriettii

The changing status of peritoneal macrophages in guinea pigs infected with Leishmania enriettii has been examined. It was possible to demonstrate that, at certain times during a primary infection and following attempted reinfection of immune animals, the response of peritoneal macrophages to lymphokine contact in vitro was altered. At these times the harvested cells appeared to behave in vitro as if they had been at least partially activated in vivo before removal. They were unresponsive to lymphokine in the migration inhibition assay, and contact with lymphokine in culture caused a rapid increase in the level of glucose oxidation in these cells. It is suggested that changes in the response of macrophages to lymphokine in vitro may be one way of monitoring activation in vivo.     

Desensitization V: Suppression of MIF production by lymphokine-activated macrophages

The systemic injection of high doses of antigen into a previously immunized animal results in a state of transient anergy with respect to cell-mediated immune reactions. This phenomenon is known as desensitization. We have previously shown that desensitization is a multistage process. The initial 24-hr period is characterized by excessive lymphokine production with a failure to express delayed hypersensitivity reactions due to abolition of local chemotactic gradients. Subsequent stages of desensitization involve failure of lymphokine production in vivo. The results presented here demonstrate that lymphocytes obtained from immunized and desensitized animals later than 24 hr after desensitization are markedly suppressed in their ability to produce MIF. In addition, it was found that lymphokine-activated macrophages can suppress in vitro MIF production by lymphocytes from immune, nondesensitized animals. In vitro and in vivo activation of macrophages were equally effective. Thus, it is likely that at least one mechanism for the inhibition of lymphokine production in the post-24-hr period of desensitization, involves activation of a population of suppressor macrophages by lymphokines produced during the initial 24-hr period.     

Suppression of lymphokine production: I. Macrophage-mediated inhibition of MIF production

Macrophages have been found to suppress the in vitro production by stimulated T lymphocytes of a lymphokine, migration inhibitory factor. When macrophages isolated from primary MSV-induced tumors were added to antigen-stimulated MSV-immune spleen cells, a complete suppression of MIF production was observed. This suppression was nonspecific, since MIF production by antigen-stimulated alloimmune spleen cells and by PHA-stimulated normal spleen cells was also inhibited. Suppressor macrophages could also be induced by inoculation with Corynebacterium parvum, whereas light mineral oil-induced peritoneal macrophages had no detectable effect on MIF production. The failure to detect MIF in the supernatants of stimulated cultures containing activated macrophages appeared to be due to inhibition of lymphokine production rather than to absorption or inactivation of MIF or to interference with the assay for detection of MIF. Macrophages were able to suppress MIF production only when added during the first 4–5 hr of culture and they had no effect when added later. These data show that activated macrophages can nonspecifically suppress lymphokine production and that this appears to be due to inhibition of an early step in lymphocyte stimulation.     

The role of divalent cations in interactions between lymphokines and macrophages

The divalent cation requirements of lymphokine-mediated alterations in macrophage function (activation and inhibition of migration) were examined. Normal rabbit alveolar macrophages exposed to incubation supernatants of antigen-stimulated sensitized lymphocytes (lymphokine) were activated, manifested by increased adherence and enhanced bactericidal activity, as compared with control cells. This lymphokine-mediated activation was dependent upon the presence of extracellular Mg²⁺ (but not Ca²⁺). Our data from both current and previous studies suggest that Mg²⁺ influx is necessary for initiation or support of the macrophage activation process. The divalent cation requirements for lymphokine (MIF)-induced inhibition of macrophage migration differed from that of the activation phenomenon. Specifically, both Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ were required for expression of MIF activity. Adsorption experiments indicate that these cations are needed for binding of MIF to the macrophage surface.     

Studies on the effect of soluble lymphocyte products (lymphokines) on macrophage physiology. I. Early changes in enzyme activity and permeability.

Various cytochemical techniques have been used to quantitate the rapid effect of a partially purified, soluble product from lymphocytes (lymphokine) on normal guinea pig macrophages in vitro. Early changes in the utilisation of hydrogen liberated from the hexose monophosphate shunt and on cellular permeability were observed. The ability of the lymphokine to alter hydrogen utilisation was also seen in experiments on cryostat sections of guinea pig liver, suggesting that the cytochemical effects were not predetermined by changes at the membrane level. It is suggested that lymphokine-induced changes within the cell may reduce some biosynthetic activity affecting the cell membrane and this may in part reflect the decreased migrating ability of the cells. Increases in NADPH oxidation after lymphokine contact are discussed in relation to the bactericidal capacity of the cells.     

Immunoregulation in experimental schistosomiasis: III. Role of macrophages in soluble egg antigen-induced chronic spleen cell augmentation of baseline lymphocyte reactivity

Spleen cells from mice infected for 20 weeks with Schistosoma mansoni, exposed in vitro to soluble schistosomal egg antigens (SEA), treated with mitomycin C (Mc), and cocultured with syngeneic responder spleen cells increased the baseline proliferation of the otherwise unstimulated responder cells in cocultures. The role of macrophages in this “spontaneous” thymidine incorporation was studied directly by removal of macrophages on Sephadex G-10 columns. Removal of esterase-positive, Sephadex G-10-adherent cells (macrophages) greatly reduced the amount of SEA-induced, chronically infected spleen cell-mediated stimulation observed in cocultures. It also reduced an elevated background of spontaneous DNA synthesis seen with control cultures of spleen cells from infected animals. Depletion of T lymphocytes from chronic spleen cell populations by treatment with anti-Thy 1.2 serum and complement prior to exposure to SEA partially abrogated the augmentation effect. Comparison of these results with mitogen (concanavalin A)induced spleen cell-mediated stimulation (which is elevated, rather than reduced, by macrophage removal) and with known alterations in splenic T- and B-lymphocyte ratios in chronic murine Schistosomiasis suggests that antigen-stimulated, chronically infected splenic macrophage-de-pendent baseline augmentation may depend on specific T-lymphocyte-derived lymphokine induction. These results may reflect a general mechanism whereby animals harboring a persistent, chronic infection can respond quickly to a second or challenge infection or a flareup of the primary infection.     

An acidic lymphokine distinct from interferon-gamma inhibits the replication of herpes simplex virus in human pulmonary macrophages

Supernatants from concanavalin A-stimulated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells were fractionated by gel filtration and isoelectric focusing. A fraction with an isoelectric point of 2.2-3.3 containing macrophage migration inhibition factor activity inhibited the replication of herpes simplex virus type 1 in human pulmonary macrophages and U937 cells. This fraction did not inhibit the replication of herpes simplex virus in human fibroblasts. Moreover, the ability of this lymphokine fraction to inhibit viral growth in macrophages was not neutralized by antibody against interferon-gamma. These findings identify a macrophage specific antiviral lymphokine which is distinct biochemically and immunologically from interferon-gamma.     

Macrophages as effector cells of protective immunity in murine schistosomiasis: IV. Coincident induction of macrophage activation for extracellular killing of schistosomula and tumor cells

Peritoneal macrophages from Schistosoma mansoni-infected mice are activated both for nonspecific tumor cytotoxicity and for killing of skin-stage schistosomula in vitro. In the current study, mechanisms for induction of macrophage tumoricidal and schistosomulacidal activity have been compared. Examination of macrophages activated in vivo by BCG infection or C. parvum treatment, or in vitro by exposure to lymphokine prepared from antigen-stimulated BCG-immune spleen cells, showed that these effector functions were closely linked. Indeed, fractionation of lymphokine-rich supernatant fluids by Sephadex G-100 gel filtraction showed that activities responsible for induction of schistomula killing by inflammatory macrophages and for induction of tumoricidal activity cochromatographed as a single peak in the 50,000 MW region. Thus, development of macrophage-mediated cytotoxicity against these two extracellular (tumor cell or helminth) targets was coincident in several cell populations activated in vivo or in vitro. However, activation for tumoricidal and schistosomulacidal capacity appeared to be quantitatively dissociated in macrophages from mice with chronic schistosomiasis; those cells demonstrated low, yet significant, levels of larval killing ($\text{1}\text{3}$ to $\text{1}\text{5}$ those of BCG or lymphokine-activated cells) but maximal levels of tumor cell cytotoxicity. Furthermore, cytotoxicity by peritoneal cells from S. mansoni-infected mice was not increased in vitro by exposure to lymphokine. Identification of this functional alteration in S. mansoni-activated cells may help to clarify the role of macrophages in the partial immunity against challenge infection which is demonstrated by mice with chronic primary S. mansoni infection.     

Lymphokine maintains macrophage activation for tumor cell killing by interfering with the negative regulatory effect of prostaglandin E2

Mouse resident peritoneal macrophages activated with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) rapidly lost their ability to kill tumor cells in vitro. Such loss of killing has previously been attributed to the effects of prostaglandin E (PGE) produced by the LPS-stimulated macrophages. Macrophages exposed in the current study to both LPS and partially purified lymphokine did not lose cytolytic activity, in spite of the fact that these cells produced undiminished amounts of PGE, compared to controls. Cytolytic activity was shown to be retained under these conditions because lymphokine decreased the sensitivity of activated macrophages to the negative regulatory effects of PGE. The mechanism responsible for the lymphokine effect is not known; however, generalized inhibition of macrophage responsiveness to the hormone does not appear to be involved because lymphokine did not reduce the cyclic AMP response of macrophages, measured on a whole cell basis, after they were exposed to PGE.     

Macrophage migration-inhibition in desensitized guinea pigs

The migration of peritoneal exudate cells obtained from guinea pigs with delayed skin reactivity to egg albumin (EA) and diphtheria toxoid (DT) was inhibited in the presence of antigen. A dose of 2 mg of EA given intravenously 8 days after sensitization specifically abolished the migration inhibition tested 5 weeks later. When the challenge was given into a foot pad 6 weeks after sensitization the migration inhibition was partially suppressed 3 to 28 days later.Repeated skin testing did not affect the migration results of the challenged or unchallenged guinea pigs.The demonstration in vitro of desensitization argues that the mechanism is either a reduced number or a reduced responsiveness of the specific effector cells of delayed hypersensitivity, or an inhibitory effect of cells stimulated by the specific antigen. If a humoral inhibitory factor is involved, it is either tightly bound by the cells or produced during the migration assay.     

Oxygen-independent inhibition of intracellular Chlamydia psittaci growth by human monocytes and interferon-gamma-activated macrophages

We have demonstrated previously that Chlamydia psittaci grows well in human monocyte-derived macrophages, but to a limited extent in lymphokine-or interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma)-activated macrophages. In this investigation, freshly explanted human monocytes inhibited chlamydial inclusion formation by 85% as compared to macrophages, and the level of inhibition was similar to that exhibited by lymphokine-activated macrophages (79%). To determine whether the oxygen-dependent antimicrobial mechanisms of the mononuclear phagocyte were involved in the inhibition, cells were infected with C. psittaci in the presence of agents that either inhibit the respiratory burst (glucose deprivation) or diminish the effect of H2O2 (catalase). These treatments had no effect on the capacity of monocytes and lymphokine-activated macrophages to restrict chlamydial growth. In addition, monocytes and activated macrophages from an individual with chronic granulomatous disease suppressed chlamydial growth as effectively as normal cells. Oxidatively deficient HeLa and endothelial cells, once stimulated by lymphokine, also displayed normal levels of antichlamydial activity. The induction of this apparently oxygen-independent antichlamydial effect by lymphokine was completely neutralized by a monoclonal anti-IFN-gamma antibody, and could be achieved by treatment with recombinant (r)IFN-gamma alone. These results indicate that the primary antimicrobial mechanism of the human monocyte against C. psittaci is oxygen-independent, and that this response can be effectively stimulated in the macrophage by lymphokine (IFN-gamma).     

Mechanisms involved in the expression of Jones-Mote hypersensitivity: II. Lymph node morphology and in vitro correlates

Lymph node morphology, in vitro lymphocyte transformation, and inhibition of macrophage migration were studied at varying intervals after sensitization for Jones-Mote hypersensitivity (JMH) with ovalbumin (OA) in Freund's incomplete adjuvant (FIA). The effect of cyclophosphamide (CY, 300 mg/kg), given 3 days before sensitization with OA in FIA, was also studied in an attempt to clarify further its role in increasing the intensity of skin reactions and its effect on the passive transfer of skin reactivity described in the preceding paper. There were increased numbers of large pyroninophilic cells in paracortical areas of draining lymph nodes and increased in vitro DNA synthesis, by lymph node cells, in animals treated with CY 3 days before sensitization with OA in FIA. There was no inhibition of macrophage migration of PEC from animals sensitized with OA in FIA, whether or not these guinea pigs had been treated with CY before sensitization.     

Pertussigen in vivo enhances antigen-specific production in vitro of lymphokine that stimulates macrophage procoagulant activity and plasminogen activator

Pertussigen is a protein toxin of Bordetella pertussis that acts as a powerful stimulator of the intensity and duration of delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) in mice. This study describes the potent in vivo effect of pertussigen on the levels of antigen-specific macrophage-activating lymphokine(s); lymphokine(s) was measured by the stimulation of macrophage procoagulant activity (mPCA), or plasminogen activator (PA) activity. Lymphoid cells were removed from immunized animals and cultured with specific antigen, keyhole limpet hemocyanin, ovalbumin, or human gamma-globulin. The culture supernatants were then incubated with the monocyte-like cell line WEHI-265 to measure mPCA or with WEHI-265 or resident peritoneal macrophages to measure PA activity. Mice were given pertussigen at the time of immunization, and the subsequent generation by lymphocyte supernatants of both of these macrophage activities proved to be greatly enhanced; the effect of pertussigen was antigen specific. Pertussigen thus induces an increase in lymphokine(s) production responsible for the in vitro increase in macrophage mPCA and PA activity and which may be responsible for some of the potent immune effects of this agent in vivo.     

Involvement of lymphocyte mediators in the rejection of a murine tumor allograft

Macrophage migration inhibition by peritoneal leukocytes was studied in BALB/c mice bearing intraperitoneal allogeneic EL-4 lymphomas to explore the role of this immune effector function in allograft rejection. The nonadherent peritoneal leukocyte population harvested between 8 and 10 days after allograft inoculation inhibited migration of nonimmune murine macrophages as demonstrated by both direct and indirect migration assays using the agarose droplet method. This host response also contained large numbers of adherent macrophages which others have shown to be cytotoxic to EL-4 target cells. These findings provide direct evidence for lymphokine activity in allograft rejection and suggest that lymphocyte mediators may attract and activate the cytotoxic macrophages observed in this response.     

Inhibition of macrophage migration by synthetic muramyl dipeptide

N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine, a synthetic compound which is known to have a minimal effective structure for an adjuvant activity of cell wall peptidoglycans, was found to inhibit the migration of normal macrophages. It was shown that the inhibition was neither due to cytotoxic or agglutinating effect of the muramyl dipeptide on macrophages nor due to lymphokine production uopn stimulation of lymphocytes by the muramyl dipeptide.     

Control of cell migration in atrioventricular pads during chick early heart development: Analysis of cushion tissue migration in vitro

The formation of the valvular and septal primordia of the embryonic heart depends upon the migration of endocardial cushion tissue mesenchyme (CT) to populate the cardiac jelly (CJ) in specific heart regions (e.g., atrioventricular (AV) pads). It has been proposed that the migration of CT may be directed by macromolecules of the CJ. In this study, [³H]thymidine-labeled endocardial (EC) and CT cells were transplanted onto intact pre- and postmigratory AV pads in vitro to test whether the compositional or structural changes known to occur in the cardiac jelly during development influence the migration of cushion tissue cells. After transplantation of labeled donor cells, host AV pads were fixed, embedded, and sectioned, and autoradiography was performed to determine the distribution of labeled donor cells within the host CJ. The experiments indicate that transplanted mural EC cells remain primarily at the AV pad surface, while grafted CT cells of all developmental ages rapidly invade both developmentally young and older AV pads. Furthermore, CT cells readily migrate in a direction opposite to that of cells in vivo when transplanted to inverted AV pads from which the myocardium has been removed. It is concluded that the CJ matrix, which is clearly a suitable framework for CT cell migration, provides no direct cues to determining the polarity or extent of migration.     

Arachidonic acid metabolism of the murine eosinophil. II. Involvement of the lipoxygenase pathway in the response to the lymphokine eosinophil stimulation promoter

Eosinophil stimulation promoter (ESP) is a murine lymphokine that enhances the migration of eosinophils. Exogenous arachidonic acid between 0.5 and 2 micrograms/ml potentiated the activity of ESP on murine eosinophil migration, whereas such concentrations did not affect migration in the absence of ESP. Among the lipoxygenase products identified from an enriched population of murine eosinophils, leukotriene B4 (optimal activity at 100 ng/ml) and 12-HETE (optimal activity at 2 micrograms/ml) stimulated migration of these cells. Another lipoxygenase product from these cells 15-HETE inhibited ESP-induced migration; between 5 and 10 micrograms/ml 15-HETE decreased by one-half both stimulated migration and 12-HETE biosynthesis. Structurally diverse drugs at concentrations that inhibited HETE biosynthesis inhibited ESP-induced migration. The concentrations that decreased migration activity by one-half were 5 microM NDGA, 10 microM ETYA, and 150 microM BW755C. Aspirin and indomethacin at concentrations reported to inhibit prostaglandin biosynthesis did not substantially inhibit ESP activity, but concentrations of indomethacin above 20 microM caused concentration-dependent inhibition of migration. The selective lipoxygenases inhibitor 134,7,10,13-eicosatetraynoic acid was more potent than ETYA in inhibition of ESP-induced migration, and the selective cyclooxygenase inhibitor 6,9,12-octadecatriynoic acid did not effect inhibition. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that stimulation of eosinophils by the lymphokine ESP involves the generation of lipoxygenase products from arachidonic acid, which positively and negatively regulate the migratory activities of these cells.     

The murine bone marrow macrophage,a sensitive indicator cell for murine migration inhibitory factor and a new method for their harvest

Murine bone marrow macrophages grown on Teflon-coated petri dishes for a period of 8–16 days can be removed with a yield of 90–95% and a viability greater than 95% following incubation in 1 mM EDTA. Bone marrow cells cultured on Teflon-coated dishes did not differ in their replication rate, peroxidase and nonspecific esterase content, pinocytosis, secretion of lysozyme and neutral proteinases from bone marrow cells cultured on plastic dishes. Murine bone marrow macrophages were found to be sensitive indicator cells for mouse migration inhibitory factor (MIF). Large numbers of cells for the MIF assay can be obtained, since their yield is 10–15 times higher than the yield of oil-induced peritoneal exudate macrophages from the same number of mice.     

Fish granulocytes in the process of inflammation

Inflammation is a protective reaction of the host in response to injury, resulting in specific morphological and chemical changes in tissues and cells. In fishes as well, much basic research has been conducted on the process of inflammatory leucocyte migration, which is the most characteristic event of the acute phase. The first response of a host to injury is vasodilatation, followed by increased vascular permeability. These vascular reactions have significance in understanding the mechanism of leucocyte migration, which occurs through the injured blood vessels and in response to chemical mediators converted from certain plasma proteins. Neutrophils migrate more quickly than do monocytes and macrophages during acute inflammation, as has been observed in many fish species. These leucocytes are phagocytes which act to remove irritants, bacteria, or damaged cells and tissues. Rapid migration of basophils is also distinguishable in carp (Cyprinus carpio) and puffer (Takifugu niphobles), although the functions of the cells in inflammation have not been clarified. Leucocytic infiltration in inflammation can be explained by chemical mediators. Complement factors, leucotriene B₄ and a lymphokine, have been identified as chemotactic and chemokinetic factors for fish neutrophils. Besides these host factors, bacterial formyl peptides are reported to be chemoattractive for plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) neutrophils. The process of leucocytic migration in various types of inflammation has specific features, which are controlled by a variety of such chemical mediators. However, our knowledge at present represents but a glimpse of the intricacies of fish inflammation.     

Lectin induction of lymphokines in cultured murine leukocytes

Antigens induce sensitized lymphocytes to undergo mitosis and to secrete soluble products, termed lymphokines, which modulate the immune response. Plant lectins are known to act as polyclonal lymphocyte mitogens and, in some cases, stimulate lymphocytes to produce lymphokines. In an effort to explore the relationship of specific cell surface glycoconjugates to the induction of mitosis and the production of lymphokine activities we have examined the ability of the mitogenic lectins, concanavalin A and Wistaria floribunda mitogen, and the nonmitogenic hemagglutinin from Wistaria floribunda seeds to stimulate the production of macrophage migration inhibition factor (MIF), macrophage chemotactic factor (CF), and lymphotoxin (LT). Concanavalin A causes lymphocytes to produce MIF and LT but no detectable CF activities. W. floribunda mitogen induces lymphocytes to produce soluble substances which exhibit all three lymphokine activities. The nonmitogenic W. floribunda agglutinin causes lymphocytes to produce MIF and CF but no observable LT activity. Within the sensitivity of the assays employed, the results indicate that mitogenesis is not a corequisite of the expression of either macrophage migration inhibition factor or lymphocyte-derived chemotactic factor but it may be associated with the induction of lymphotoxin. It is also apparent that the expression of each lymphokine activity is independent of the expression of the other lymphokines studied.