From Beaumont to poison ivy: marine sponge cell aggregation and the secretory basis of inflammation

We have studied Microciona prolifera cells as a model for inflammation and secretion. Dissociated in Ca-, Mg-free seawater with 2.5 mM EDTA, the cells aggregate when exposed to Ca (greater than 5 mM) and Ca ionophores. Extracellular Ca is not required over the course of aggregation; brief pulses of Ca suffice. Aggregation was induced by A23187 in excess EDTA after cells were prepared by pulse Ca. It appeared that Ca ionophore stimulated the secretion of Microciona aggregation factor (MAF) to a locus or in a form inaccessible to external EDTA. Pulse-induced aggregation depended on MAF because it was inhibited by MAF fragments, which are ligands for MAF-binding sites. Sponge cells were preloaded with three fluorescent dyes that monitor aspects of stimulus-secretion coupling: 1) 3,3'-dipropylthiadicarbocyanine iodide (dis-C3-(5)), a carbocyanine dye presumed to report changes in membrane potential; 2) 9-aminoacridine (9AA), which presumably reports secretion from acid vesicles; and 3) chlortetracycline (CTC), presumed to report mobilization of membrane-associated Ca. Exposure of cells either to constant Ca or to pulse Ca stimuli caused prompt decreases in the fluorescence of cells with diS-C3-(5) and increases in fluorescence of cells with 9AA. In contrast, although constant Ca provoked decreases in fluorescence of cells with CTC, a pulse Ca was without effect. Moreover, inhibitors of stimulus-response coupling (e.g., aspirin, sodium salicylate, 5 mM; diclofenac, 100 microM) inhibited sponge aggregation induced by either constant or pulse stimuli. In contrast, like the endogenous mediator of inflammation, leukotriene B4, trienoic alkyl catechols (urushiol) from poison ivy provoked aggregation. These studies suggest the utility of this marine model for analysis of stimulus-response coupling in cells of higher species that also respond to secretagogues in the absence of external Ca.     

Intracellular Ca2+ mobilization and not calcium influx promotes phorbol ester-stimulated thromboxane A2 synthesis in human platelets.

Phorbol esters, potent activators of protein kinase C (PKC), greatly enhance the release of arachidonic acid and its metabolites (TXA2, HETES, HHT) by Ca2+ ionophores in human platelets. In this paper, we report the relationship between intracellular Ca2+ mobilization and external calcium influx into platelets and the ability of PMA plus A23187 to promote thromboxane A2 (TXA2) synthesis. The enhanced levels of TXA2 due to the synergistic stimulation of the platelets with A23187 and phorbol esters are not affected significantly by the presence of external Ca2+ or the calcium-chelator EGTA. PKC inhibitors, staurosporine and sphingosine, abolished phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) potentiation of TXA2 production which strongly supports the role of PKC in the synergism. Platelet aggregation is more sensitive to PMA and external calcium than TXA2 formation. PMA increased TXA2 production as much as 4-fold at low ionophore concentrations. The A23187-induced rise in [Ca2+]i was reduced by pretreatment of human platelets with phorbol esters, both in the presence and absence of EGTA, and staurosporine reversed this inhibitory effect. These results indicate that the synergistic stimulation of TXA2 production by A23187 and phorbol esters is promoted by intracellular Ca2+ mobilization and not by external calcium influx. Our data also suggest that PKC is involved in the regulation of Ca2+ mobilization from some specific intracellular stores and that PKC may also stimulate the Ca(2+)-dependent phospholipase A2 at suboptimal Ca2+i concentrations.     

Studies of protein kinase C in the rat basophilic leukemia (RBL-2H3) cell reveal that antigen-induced signals are not mimicked by the actions of phorbol myristate acetate and Ca2+ ionophore

Exogenous activators of protein kinase C such as PMA in combination with a Ca2+ ionophore (A23187), cause secretion in rat basophilic (RBL-2H3) cells,but they do so through stimulatory signals that are not the same as those generated by Ag or oligomers of IgE. On the one hand, the synergy between PMA and A23187 and the suppression of Ag-mediated signals (hydrolysis of inositol phospholipids and rise in concentration of cytosolic Ca2+) by PMA were totally dependent on protein kinase C. The loss of synergistic and inhibitory actions of PMA, for example, correlated with the loss of protein kinase C (as determined by immunoblotting techniques) when cells were continuously exposed to PMA. Furthermore, the permeabilization of RBL-2H3 cells resulted in the loss of both protein kinase C and the inhibitory action of PMA, but both were retained if cells were exposed to PMA before permeabilization Ag-induced secretion, on the other hand, was not as dependent on the presence of protein kinase C. The potent inhibitor of this enzyme, staurosporine, which blocked completely the secretory response to the combination of PMA and A23187, did not inhibit Ag-induced secretion except at concentrations (greater than 10 nM) that inhibited Ag-stimulated hydrolysis of inositol phospholipids as well. Also RBL-2H3 cells still showed some secretory-response (approximately 25% of normal) to Ag when cells were depleted (greater than 98%) of protein kinase C by prolonged treatment with PMA. Previous studies have indicated that the secretory response to PMA and A23187 is much lower than that elicited by Ag when the concentrations of stimulants were matched to give the same increase in concentrations of cytosolic Ca2+.     

Stimulation of AIDS lymphocytes with calcium ionophore (A23187) and phorbol ester (PMA): studies of cytoplasmic free Ca, IL-2 receptor expression, IL-2 production, and proliferation

We have studied whether the decreased lymphocyte proliferative responses of AIDS lymphocytes to stimulation by mitogens and antigens may be overcome when challenged with a combination of calcium ionophore A23187 and phorbol ester PMA. Comparison of the proliferative response of lymphocytes from nine patients with AIDS with the response of lymphocytes from nine control subjects showed that the response of AIDS lymphocytes was severely decreased when stimulated with PHA and no further response could be achieved by stimulation with A23187/PMA. On the other hand, no significant difference between the PHA-induced rise of cytoplasmic free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]1) in normal and AIDS lymphocytes was observed. The percentage of cells expressing IL-2 receptors (CD25) was also normal both after addition of PHA and after addition of A23187/PMA and the expression was normal on both CD4 and CD8 cells. The production of IL-2 in normal lymphocytes stimulated with A23187/PMA was 33 times higher than that after stimulation with PHA. In AIDS lymphocytes the production of IL-2 induced by all activators was severely decreased compared to control subjects, although the production of IL-2 after stimulation with A23187/PMA was higher than that in control lymphocytes after stimulation with PHA. The present study shows that a direct activation of protein kinase C combined with mobilization of cytoplasmic calcium does not overcome the lymphocyte proliferative deficiency of AIDS lymphocytes.     

Dissociation between aggregation and superoxide production in human granulocytes

Aggregation and the activation of the granulocyte (PMN) superoxide (O2-) generating system occur when certain stimuli are added to resting cells. It had previously been postulated that PMN aggregation is essential for maximal O2- production. This study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that PMN aggregation is required for full expression of PMN O2- production. We examined aggregation and O2- production induced by four stimuli; concanavalin A (Con A), phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), N-formylmethionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP), and ionophore A23187. Cytochalasin B enhanced aggregation by all four stimuli but only enhanced the rate of O2- production by Con A; 2-deoxyglucose inhibited aggregation by all stimuli. Dissociation of PMN aggregation and O2- production was achieved by using NEM, TPCK, and divalent cations. NEM and TPCK prevent Con A-induced O2- production but have no effect on Con A-induced aggregation. PMA-stimulated PMN generate O2- in the presence or absence of Ca++ and Mg++. In contrast, PMA stimulated maximum PMN aggregation only in the presence of both Ca++ and Mg++. Thus PMN can generate O2- without aggregating, and PMN can aggregate without producing O2-. PMN from patients with chronic granulomatous disease do not generate O2- or undergo membrane potential depolarization in response to PMA. These PMN aggregated when stimulated with PMA, providing evidence that depolarization is not required for PMN aggregation. We conclude that aggregation and the activation of the O2- generating system, though temporally related, are not necessarily causally related.     

The effects of phorbol ester, diacylglycerol, phospholipase C and Ca2+ ionophore on protein phosphorylation in human and sheep erythrocytes.

Treatment of human or sheep erythrocytes with PMA (phorbol myristate acetate) enhanced [32P]phosphate labelling of membrane polypeptides of approx. 100, 80 and 46 kDa. The 80 kDa and 46 kDa polypeptides coincided with bands 4.1 and 4.9 respectively on Coomassie-Blue-stained gels. Similar but smaller effects were obtained by treating human cells with 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-rac-glycerol (OAG), exogenous bacterial phospholipase C or ionophore A23187 + Ca2+, each of which treatments would be expected to raise the concentration of membrane diacylglycerol. In contrast, sheep cells, which do not increase their content of diacylglycerol when treated with phospholipase C or A23187 + Ca2+, only showed enhanced phosphorylation with OAG. Neither human nor sheep cells showed any enhanced [32P]phosphate labelling of phosphoproteins when treated with 1-mono-oleoyl-rac-glycerol. It is concluded that diacylglycerol from a variety of sources can activate erythrocyte protein kinase C, but that the most effective diacylglycerol is that derived from endogenous polyphosphoinositides. In contrast with bacterial phospholipase C and A23187, which stimulate synthesis of phosphatidate by increasing the cell-membrane content of diacylglycerol in human erythrocytes, PMA, OAG or 1-mono-oleoyl-rac-glycerol caused no change in phospholipid metabolism.     

The role of Ca2+ and Ca2+-activated phospholipid-dependent protein kinase in degranulation of human neutrophils

The degranulation reactions of human neutrophils induced by 1-oleoyl-2-acetylglycerol (OAG), phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), and calcium ionophore A23187 or their combinations, were studied. OAG in the absence of the Ca2+-ionophore A23187 stimulated the releases of both lysozyme and lactoferrin, constituents of the specific granules, but did not stimulate the release of beta-glucuronidase, an enzyme of the azurophil granules. Electron microscopy revealed a selective decrease in the numbers of the specific granules in this case. The combined effects of A23187 at a concentration higher than 0.1 microM and OAG were essentially additive. W-7, known to be an inhibitor of both Ca2+-activated phospholipid-dependent protein kinase (C-kinase) and calmodulin, inhibited the degranulation induced by OAG or PMA, while it inhibited the reaction induced by A23187 less markedly. The release of lysozyme reached a plateau at about 0.1 microM A23187 and increased again at higher concentrations of A23187. The observations suggest that degranulation can be induced by the activation of the C-kinase, and the degranulation by A23187 at low concentrations may be due to the activation of the C-kinase; the effects of A23187 at high concentrations, however, could not be explained only in terms of the activation of the C-kinase.     

Superoxide anion release by human endothelial cells: synergism between a phorbol ester and a calcium ionophore

In order to study the signal transduction mechanism of human endothelial cells (EC), the regulation of superoxide anion (O2-)release in EC has been investigated using the calcium ionophore A23187 and phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), a potential activator of the Ca2+ activated, phospholipid-dependent protein kinase, designated "protein kinase C." PMA enhanced O2- release from EC, and this enhancement occurred regardless of the presence or absence of extracellular Ca2+. A similar increase was produced by A23187; omission of extracellular Ca2+ prevented this increase. Simultaneous stimulation with PMA and A23187 produced a large increase in O2- release at submaximal concentrations of these agents, which, when added separately, caused minimal effects. These findings indicate that the activation of protein kinase C and mobilization of Ca2+ evoked by PMA and A23187 respectively are synergistically effective for eliciting a full physiological response of EC in the generation and release of O2-.     

Modulatory effect of HCO3- on rat mast cell exocytosis: cross-talks between bicarbonate and calcium.

HCO-3 modulation of histamine release and its relationship with the Ca2+ signal were studied in serosal rat mast cells. Histamine release was induced by Ca2+ mobilizing stimuli, namely compound 48/80, thapsigargin, Ca2+ chelators, ionophore A23187, and PMA and ionophore A23187 in a HCO-3-buffered medium or a HCO-3-free medium. The presence of HCO-3 reduced histamine release by 48/80, Ca2+ chelators, A23187, and PMA/A23187, but increased histamine release induced by thapsigargin. Histamine release by PMA was significantly higher in a HCO-3-free medium than in a HCO-3-free medium, as it was the PMA potentiation of histamine release by A23187. [Ca2+]i changes induced by these drugs were measured in fura-2-loaded mast cells. In thapsigargin and EGTA or BAPTA preincubated mast cells [Ca2+]i increase was higher in a HCO-3-buffered medium than in a HCO-3-free medium in the presence of Ca2+. On the contrary, in compound 48/80 and PMA/A23187 activated mast cells the [Ca2+]i increase is the same both in the presence and in the absence of HCO-3. The effect of HCO-3 on histamine release in serosal rat mast cells depends on the stimulus, but it is not related to the presence of Cl-. In thapsigargin-stimulated mast cells the effect of HCO-3 on histamine release may be related to the Ca2+ signal, but in compound 48/80, EGTA, and PMA/A23187-activated mast cells there is no relationship between intracellular Ca2+ and the inhibitory effect of HCO-3 on histamine release. Additionally, the PKC pathway is implicated in the inhibitory effect of HCO-3 on histamine release, the higher the chelation of calcium rendering the higher the enhancement of the response after adding calcium in the absence of HCO-3.     

N-ethylmaleimide inhibits Ca2+ influx induced by collagen or arachidonate on rabbit platelets

N-Ethylmaleimide dose dependently inhibited platelet aggregation induced by collagen or arachidonate but did not inhibit the aggregation by thrombin or ionophore A23187 within the concentrations tested. [3H]Arachidonate release from membrane phospholipids of the collagen-stimulated platelets was inhibited by N-ethylmaleimide in parallel with the inhibition of aggregation, but not in response to A23187. N-Ethylmaleimide prevented 45Ca2+ influx into platelet cells from outer medium induced by collagen, and also inhibited the increase in the concentration of cytoplasmic free Ca2+, which probably results from Ca2+ influx, as monitored by quin2 fluorescence, under stimulation with arachidonate. The concentration of N-ethylmaleimide giving a complete inhibition of Ca2+ influx was consistent with that required to inhibit collagen- or arachidonate-induced aggregation. Prostaglandin metabolism from arachidonate to thromboxane A2 was not disturbed by N-ethylmaleimide, while phosphatidate formation induced by arachidonate was slightly inhibited by it at concentrations at which aggregation was completely inhibited. These data suggest that N-ethylmaleimide preferentially suppresses increase in cytoplasmic free Ca2+ which is linked to thromboxane A2-receptor occupation in collagen- or arachidonate-stimulated platelets, probably due to blockage of Ca2+ influx through Ca2+-channel protein, thereby inhibiting aggregation induced by these agonists.     

Transport and control of Ca2+ by pigeon erythrocytes. I. Survey of some cell responses to a range of A23187 doses in the presence of Ca2+

Cells were subjected to a range of 45Ca2+ influx loads with A23187. We measured cell 45Ca2+ with time and A23187 dose, and the apparent 45Ca2+ influxes (identical to "J(in,app)") at Ca2+ steady state. We also measured endogeneous exchangeable and total cell Ca2+, which were 50 and 17-220 microM respectively. The effects of A23187 and Ca2+ on cell ATP, swelling, net Cl- permeability, and cell morphology were measured. These were modest and do not affect our conclusions. J(in,app) congruent to 3 X 10(-4) [A23187]2.9 X [Ca2+(o)]mumoles/l X min with 92-552 microM [Ca2+(o)] (identical to external Ca2+ concentration) and 0-7 microM A23187. J(in,app) was increased an order of magnitude by vanadate and is probably much less than the true influx. The least unlikely explanation found for the high [A23187] exponent, 2.9, was that most of the Ca2+ crossing the membrane is expelled by the pump before it can move deeper into the cell. Calcium pumping increased rapidly in response to increased influx, but the steady state cell 45Ca2+ was approximately proportional to J(in,app) rather than approximately constant between 10 and 120 mumoles/l X min with 184 microM [Ca2+(o)]. This is not the result expected from a simple feedback mechanism. At high A23187 doses the pump appears fully activated resulting in a linear relation between cell/medium 45Ca2+ and [A23187]-2. From the plot we calculated alpha identical to free/total exchangeable Ca2+ = 0.38 +/- 0.08 (n = 3) and a maximum pump rate, "Pmax" = 78 mumole/l X min. Pmax is underestimated insofar as J(in,app) is less than the true influx.     

Phorbol ester stimulates amylase secretion from rat parotid cells

Phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), a potent activator of Ca2+- and phospholipid-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase C), evoked amylase release from rat parotid cells. In dose-response studies, PMA stimulated amylase release independently of db-cAMP, but potentiated the effect of carbachol. PMA and A23187, a Ca2+ ionophore, synergistically increased amylase release. The maximum effect of carbachol was further enhanced by PMA but not by A23187, suggesting that protein kinase C is not fully activated by the muscarinic-cholinergic agonist under the condition where calcium is fully utilized for amylase secretion.     

Synergistic release of arachidonic acid from platelets by activators of protein kinase C and Ca2+ ionophores. Evidence for the role of protein phosphorylation in the activation of phospholipase A2 and independence from the Na+/H+ exchanger

The protein kinase C activators phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), mezerein, oleoylacetylglycerol, and (-)-indolactam V, although without direct effect on arachidonic acid release, greatly enhance the release of platelet arachidonic acid caused by the Ca2+ ionophores A23187 and ionomycin. In contrast, 4 alpha-phorbol 12,13-didecanoate and (+)-indolactam V, which lack the ability to activate kinase C, do not potentiate arachidonate release. Release of arachidonic acid occurs without activation of phospholipase C and is therefore mediated by phospholipase A2. Synergism between PMA and A23187 is not affected by inactivation of the Na+/H+ exchanger with dimethylamiloride. The time course and dose-response for the effect of PMA at 23 degrees C closely correlate with the phosphorylation of a set of relatively "slowly" phosphorylated proteins (P20, P35, P41, P60), but not the rapidly phosphorylated P47 protein. P20 is myosin light chain, and P41 is probably Gi alpha, but the other proteins have not been positively identified. Depletion of metabolic ATP stores by antimycin A plus 2-deoxyglucose abolishes both protein phorphorylation and the potentiation of arachidonate release by PMA, but does not prevent fatty acid release by the ionophores. Similarly, the kinase C inhibitors H-7 and staurosporine produce, respectively, partial and complete inhibition of PMA-potentiated arachidonic acid release and protein phosphorylation, without affecting the direct response to ionophores. These results indicate that protein phosphorylation, mediated by kinase C, promotes the phospholipase A2 dependent release of arachidonic acid in platelets when intracellular Ca2+ is elevated by Ca2+ ionophores.     

Ca2+ and protein kinase C signaling for histamine and sulfidoleukotrienes released from human cultured mast cells

Human cultured mast cells (HCMC) release histamine and sulfidoleukotrienes (LTs) upon IgE-FcepsilonRI-mediated mast cell activation. We analyzed the Ca2+ and PKC signaling in HCMC and compared it to that in rodent mast cells. In HCMC, after IgE-mediated stimulation, an elevation of [Ca2+]i and PKC translocation to the membrane fraction was observed. As concerns Ca2+ signaling, 1) IgE-mediated histamine and LTs release was abolished after Ca2+ depletion, and the reconstitution of Ca2+ recovered the release of histamine and LTs. As regards PKC signaling, 1) staurosporine inhibited IgE-mediated mediator release. 2) PKC-downregulated mast cells did not release histamine and LTs. A23187 and PMA synergistically potentiated the activation of extracellular-regulated kinase and synergistically induced histamine and LTs release. These results demonstrated that HCMC might be useful for analysis of the signal transduction pathway for mediator release, such as histamine and LTs.     

Translocation of protein kinase C in rat basophilic leukemic cells induced by phorbol ester or by aggregation of IgE receptors

Rat basophilic leukemic cells contain protein kinase C (PKC), 96 +/- 1% of which is located in the cytosol in the resting state. Phorbol ester (PMA), synergistically with calcium ionophore (A23187), caused 55% of the total PKC activity to associate rapidly with membranes where it remained for at least 20 min. When IgE-loaded cells were activated by Ag, maximally 30% of the cytosolic activity associated with membranes within 15 to 30 s, but most of this returned to the cytosol by 2 min. The small amount (3%) of PKC activity that remained associated with the membranes did so for at least 20 min but only if aggregation of the receptors was maintained. PKC translocation correlated with aggregation of receptors both at 30 s and at 10 min. However, only the translocation at 10 min and not that at 30 s correlated with receptor-induced exocytosis. In the absence of extracellular calcium (no exocytosis is observed), translocation at 30 s was diminished by 30% and at 10 min was completely absent. Cells depleted of PKC by 18-h treatment with PMA failed to degranulate in response to PMA and A23187 but responded partially (35%) when receptors were aggregated. We conclude that translocation of PKC is an early event that follows aggregation of IgE receptors but may not be essential for mediating the exocytotic mechanism induced by these receptors.     

Prostacyclin inhibits platelet aggregation induced by phorbol ester or Ca2+ ionophore at steps distal to activation of protein kinase C and Ca2+-dependent protein kinases.

Suspensions of aspirin-treated, 32P-prelabelled, washed platelets containing ADP scavengers in the buffer were activated with either phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PdBu) or the Ca2+ ionophore A23187. High concentrations of PdBu (greater than or equal to 50 nM) induced platelet aggregation and the protein kinase C (PKC)-dependent phosphorylation of proteins with molecular masses of 20 (myosin light chain), 38 and 47 kDa. No increase in cytosolic Ca2+ was observed. Preincubation of platelets with prostacyclin (PGI2) stimulated the phosphorylation of a 50 kDa protein [EC50 (concn. giving half-maximal effect) 0.6 ng of PGI2/ml] and completely abolished platelet aggregation [ID50 (concn. giving 50% inhibition) 0.5 ng of PGI2/ml] induced by PdBu, but had no effect on phosphorylation of the 20, 38 and 47 kDa proteins elicited by PdBu. The Ca2+ ionophore A23187 induced shape change, aggregation, mobilization of Ca2+, rapid phosphorylation of the 20 and 47 kDa proteins and the formation of phosphatidic acid. Preincubation of platelets with PGI2 (500 ng/ml) inhibited platelet aggregation, but not shape change, Ca2+ mobilization or the phosphorylation of the 20 and 47 kDa proteins induced by Ca2+ ionophore A23187. The results indicate that PGI2, through activation of cyclic AMP-dependent kinases, inhibits platelet aggregation at steps distal to protein phosphorylation evoked by protein kinase C and Ca2+-dependent protein kinases.     

The actions of Ca2+ ionophores on rat basophilic (2H3) cells are dependent on cellular ATP and hydrolysis of inositol phospholipids. A comparison with antigen stimulation

Calcium-specific ionophores are used widely to stimulate Ca2+-dependent secretion from cells on the assumption that permeabilization of the cell membranes to Ca2+ ions leads to a rise in concentration of cytosolic Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i), which in turn serves as a signal for secretion. In this way, events that precede mobilization of Ca2+ ions via receptor stimulation are bypassed. One such event is thought to be the rapid hydrolysis of membrane inositol phospholipids to form inositol phosphates and diacylglycerol. Accordingly, rat leukemic basophil (2H3) cells can be stimulated to secrete histamine either with the ionophores or by aggregation of receptors for IgE in the plasma membrane. We find, however, that ionophore A23187 stimulates secretion of histamine only at concentrations (200-1000 nM) that stimulate hydrolysis of membrane inositol phospholipids. The extent of hydrolysis of inositol phospholipids was dependent on the concentration of ionophore and the presence of external Ca2+ ions and correlated with the magnitude of the secretory response. A similar correlation between secretion and hydrolysis of inositol phospholipids was observed in response to the Ca2+-specific ionophore, ionomycin. Although this hydrolysis (possibly a consequence of elevated [Ca2+]i) was less extensive than that induced by aggregation of receptors, it may govern the secretory response to A23187. The studies revealed one paradox. The rise in [Ca2+]i depended on intracellular ATP levels, when either an ionophore or antigen was used as a stimulant irrespective of whether hydrolysis of inositol phospholipids was stimulated or not. The concept of how the ionophores act, therefore, requires critical reevaluation.     

Phorbol myristate acetate-induced macrophage aggregation

Phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) at nanomole concentrations induces a rapid aggregation of guinea pig macrophages. This aggregation is dependent on extracellular Mg2+ (but not Ca2+) for its development. Additionally, it is inhibited by some agents which also inhibit aggregation induced by lymphokines and the ionophore A23187. Although the mechanism of aggregation has not been determined, it does not appear to be related to either arachidonic acid metabolites or products of the respiratory burst. In this respect, it resembles the PMA-induced aggregation of neutrophils.