Macrophage colony-stimulating factor-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of c-fms proteins expressed in FDC-P1 and BALB/c 3T3 cells.

The c-fms protein is a receptor for macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) with intrinsic protein-tyrosine kinase activity. We investigated the tyrosine phosphorylation of murine c-fms proteins expressed from a retroviral vector in factor-dependent myeloid FDC-P1 cells and in BALB/c 3T3 fibroblasts transformed by the expression of the c-fms gene. FDC-P1 cells expressing c-fms were able to grow and differentiate in response to M-CSF. Their c-fms proteins were normally phosphorylated on serine and became phosphorylated on tyrosine residues contained in five tryptic peptides when the cells were exposed to M-CSF. A subset of these peptides was constitutively phosphorylated in BALB/c cells expressing c-fms, consistent with the production of M-CSF by these cells. All the peptides detected in vivo were also phosphorylated in vitro. These peptides were analyzed by susceptibility to proteases, comparison with synthetic peptides, and site-directed mutagenesis. The identities of four of the tryptic peptides were determined; they arise from three unique tyrosine phosphorylation sites. One major site of tyrosine phosphorylation at residue 697 accounted for two of the tryptic peptides. A second major site was identified at tyrosine residue 706. These two tyrosine phosphorylation sites are located within the tyrosine kinase insert region. Tyrosine 807, which has homology to the major autophosphorylation site of the p60v-src tyrosine kinase, is a minor autophosphorylation site. Possible functional roles for these phosphorylations of the c-fms protein include interactions with substrate proteins, catalytic activity, and ligand-induced degradation.     

Induction of macrophage colony-stimulating factor-dependent growth and differentiation after introduction of the murine c-fms gene into FDC-P1 cells.

A system has been established for analyzing the functions of the c-fms/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) receptor gene product in hematopoietic growth and differentiation. The murine c-fms gene was introduced into the factor-dependent murine hematopoietic cell line FDC-P1 by retroviral infection, and conversion to M-CSF-dependent growth was assayed in agar cultures. Expression of the c-fms gene in FDC-P1 cells, which normally do not express this gene, resulted in the conversion of resultant FD(c-fms) cells to M-CSF-dependent growth. Stimulation of FD(c-fms) cells by M-CSF led to the formation of colonies of altered morphology and produced reversible morphological changes suggestive of myeloid differentiation. M-CSF also induced expression of mature myeloid surface marker proteins in the FD(c-fms) cells. Neither multi-CSF nor granulocyte-macrophage CSF induced similar phenotypic changes but remained able to stimulate the proliferation of undifferentiated FD(c-fms) cells. These results indicate that the c-fms gene was expressed functionally in FDC-P1 cells and transmitted signals for growth. Also, the interaction of M-CSF with the c-fms gene product generated an additional signal for myeloid differentiation but did not irreversibly commit FD(c-fms) cells to terminal differentiation. This system can be used for molecular analysis of the growth- and differentiation-promoting activities of the c-fms proto-oncogene.     

The network of hemopoietic regulatory proteins in myeloid cell differentiation.

There are clones of myeloid leukemic cells that can be induced to undergo terminal cell differentiation to macrophages by normal hemopoietic regulatory proteins. Induction of differentiation in two different clones of myeloid leukemic cells with interleukin 6 (IL-6) or granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) resulted in induction of mRNA for the hemopoietic regulatory proteins IL-6, GM-CSF, interleukin 1 alpha and interleukin 1 beta, tumor necrosis factor, and transforming growth factor beta 1. In one of these clones, induction of differentiation with GM-CSF was also associated with induction of mRNA for macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) but not for the receptor for M-CSF (c-fms), whereas in the other clone, induction of differentiation with IL-6 was associated with induction of mRNA for both c-fms and M-CSF. The clones also differed in their responsiveness to these regulators. There was no induction of mRNA for granulocyte colony-stimulating factor or interleukin 3 during differentiation of either clone. The results indicate that the genes for a nearly normal network of positive and negative hemopoietic regulatory proteins are induced during differentiation of these myeloid leukemic cells and that there are leukemic clones with specific defects in this network.     

Interleukin 3, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and transfected erythropoietin receptors mediate tyrosine phosphorylation of a common cytosolic protein (pp100) in FDC-ER cells.

Receptors for the hematopoietic growth factors erythropoietin, interleukin 3 (IL-3), and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) are members of a structurally related receptor superfamily. Interestingly, while none of these receptors encode tyrosine kinase activities, induced tyrosine phosphorylation has been observed in various responsive cells stimulated with each factor. Toward defining possible common transduction pathways which are activated by these three cytokines, we have studied induced protein phosphorylation in murine myeloid FDC-P1 cells stably transfected with an erythropoietin receptor cDNA (FDC-ER cells). FDC-ER cells proliferate in response to erythropoietin (Quelle, D. E., and Wojchowski, D. M. (1991) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 88, 4801-4805), and presently are shown to rapidly phosphorylate a M(r) 100,000 cytosolic protein (pp100) at tyrosine residues in response to this factor. Phosphorylation of pp100 also is induced in FDC-P1 and FDC-ER cells in response to IL-3 or GM-CSF. Importantly, quantitative analyses showed identical concentration dependencies for factor-induced pp100 phosphorylation and induced cell proliferation. Moreover, a selective loss of proliferative responsiveness to GM-CSF in FDC-ER cells was associated with a reduced capacity of GM-CSF to induce pp100 phosphorylation. Finally, limited differences in tryptic phosphopeptide maps of pp100 as isolated following exposure to erythropoietin, IL-3, or GM-CSF were observed, suggesting that these factors also may preferentially induce phosphorylation of pp100 at distinct sites. These findings are consistent with a role for pp100 as a common cytosolic transducer in the apparently convergent pathways of erythropoietin-, IL-3-, and GM-CSF-induced proliferation of myeloid progenitor cells.     

Gab3, a New DOS/Gab Family Member, Facilitates Macrophage Differentiation

Using the FDC-P1 cell line expressing the exogenous macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) receptor, Fms, we have analyzed the role of a new mammalian DOS/Gab-related signaling protein, called Gab3, in macrophage cell development of the mouse. Gab3 contains an amino-terminal pleckstrin homology domain, multiple potential sites for tyrosine phosphorylation and SH2 domain binding, and two major polyproline motifs potentially interacting with SH3 domains. Among the growing family of Gab proteins, Gab3 exhibits a unique and overlapping pattern of expression in tissues of the mouse compared with Gab1 and Gab2. Gab3 is more restricted to the hematopoietic tissues such as spleen and thymus but is detectable at progressively lower levels within heart, kidney, uterus, and brain. Like Gab2, Gab3 is tyrosine phosphorylated after M-CSF receptor stimulation and associates transiently with the SH2 domain-containing proteins p85 and SHP2. Overexpression of exogenous Gab3 in FD-Fms cells dramatically accelerates macrophage differentiation upon M-CSF stimulation. Unlike Gab2, which shows a constant mRNA expression level after M-CSF stimulation, Gab3 expression is initially absent or low in abundance in FD cells expressing the wild-type Fms, but Gab3 mRNA levels are increased upon M-CSF stimulation. Moreover, M-CSF stimulation of FD-FmsY807F cells (which grow but do not differentiate) fails to increase Gab3 expression. These results suggest that Gab3 is important for macrophage differentiation and that differentiation requires the early phosphorylation of Gab2 followed by induction and subsequent phosphorylation of Gab3.     

IL-10 inhibits granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor-dependent human monocyte survival at the early stage of the culture and inhibits the generation of macrophages

We previously demonstrated that IL-10 alone does not stimulate growth and differentiation of human monocytes, but enhances those of monocytes stimulated with M-CSF. We studied here the effect of IL-10 on human monocytes stimulated with GM-CSF. Monocytes stimulated with GM-CSF alone survived and developed into macrophages. Monocytes cultured with GM-CSF plus IL-10, however, died through apoptosis. IL-10 decreased expression of bcl-2, bcl-x(L), and mcl-1- but not bax mRNA in monocytes stimulated with GM-CSF. IL-10 did not change the expression of mRNA of both GM-CSFR alpha-chain and beta-chain, but inhibited tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT5 and extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 in the monocytes. The inhibitory effect of IL-10 was restricted to treatment 48 h after stimulation with GM-CSF. Addition of IL-10 after that time induced neither apoptosis nor a decrease in expression of bcl-2, bcl-x(L), and mcl-1 mRNA. IL-10, however, inhibited LPS-induced TNF-alpha production even in these cells, indicating that the cells still possessed responsiveness to IL-10. Monocytes pretreated for >48 h with GM-CSF became resistant to GM-CSF withdrawal, and the cells could survive without GM-CSF. These results indicate that IL-10 selectively inhibits GM-CSF-dependent monocyte survival by inhibiting the signaling events induced by GM-CSF, but the timing of addition of IL-10 is critical, and IL-10 had to be added within 48 h after stimulation with GM-CSF to achieve the inhibitory effect. These results taken together with our previous results indicate that IL-10 plays a pivotal role in monocyte survival and development into macrophages in concert with M-CSF and GM-CSF.     

Cytotoxicity of white blood cells activated by granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor,granulocyte/macrophage-colony-stimulating factor and macrophage-colony-stimulating factor against tumor cells in the presence of various monoclonal antibodies

Unconjugated monoclonal antibodies (mAb) kill tumor cells in vivo by activating immune functions. One of these is ADCC (antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity). The efficacy of mAbs might be augmented if the cytotoxic capacity of the effector cells could be increased. In this study the augmenting effect of granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), granulocyte/macrophage(GM)-CSF and macrophage(M)-CSF was analyzed. Effector cells [peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) or granulocytes] were activated for 4–6 h by the respective CSF and assayed in an 18-h Cr⁵¹-release assay. Human colorectal, lymphoma, glioma and melanoma cell lines were target cells. Mouse mAbs of different isotypes, as well as chimeric and humanized mAbs, were used. mAbs having the human Fc part of the IgG molecule were the most effective. The killing capacity of PBMC as well as of granulocytes was statistically significantly enhanced when mAbs were added. M-CSF and GM-CSF were the best CSF for augmenting the lytic capacity of PBMC in ADCC. G-CSF had no significant effect on PBMC. Spontaneous cytolysis of PBMC was significantly augmented only by M-CSF. Granulocytes were, in general, significantly less effective than PBMC but may be equally effective killer cells together with mouse or human mAbs of the IgG1 isotype, particularly against melanoma cells. Granulocytes may also be significantly stimulated to increased lytic capacity when activated with G-CSF or GM-CSF. On the basis of the present evaluation, clinical trials in tumor patients are warranted, combining mAbs with GM-CSF or M-CSF. Preference might be given to GM-CSF as this cytokine activates both PBMC and granulocytes.     

Gangliosides of the stroma layer participate in the interferon-gamma receptor-dependent controls of myelopoiesis

Stroma-mediated myelopoiesis depends upon growth-factors and an appropriate intercellular microenvironment, whose polarity is relevant for granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) mediated myeloid cell proliferation. Here we have studied qualitative and quantitative aspects of ganglioside participation in controls of the microenvironment required to sustain myelopoiesis. We analysed ganglioside synthesis, expression and shedding by two primary liver stromal cell cultures isolated from wild type and interferon-gamma (IFNgamma) receptor knockout mice. The latter one has a higher capacity to sustain myelopoiesis. FDC-P1 myeloid growth factor-dependent cell line was used as the reporter system, monitoring the cell survival and proliferation that reflect the bio-availability and the activity of GM-CSF. Although the two stromal cells synthesised the same gangliosides their relative content was quite different. FDC-P1 proliferation decreased in cultures in which ganglioside synthesis was inhibited in the stroma, as well as in presence of stroma cell supernatants in which GM3 was neutralised by the anti-GM3 monoclonal antibody. Addition of exogenous GM3 reverted the inhibition and sustained proliferation of FDC-P1 cells. FDC-P1 cells do not accumulate GM3, but they are able to take up the stroma-produced sphingolipids. Thus, stroma has a double role in sustaining myelopoiesis, providing both growth factor(s) and ganglioside(s) required for the optimal stimulation of the myeloid cell proliferation, and the IFNgamma mediated stroma-dependent controls of myelopoiesis are determinant for this cell interaction.