Recombinant IFN-gamma synergizes with lipopolysaccharide to induce macrophage membrane procoagulants

Fibrin deposition is an important histopathologic feature of inflammation and is mediated, in part, by monocyte/macrophage procoagulants. rIFN gamma acted in synergy with suboptimal levels of bacterial LPS by priming thioglycollate-induced mouse peritoneal exudate cells (TG-PEC) to express high levels of surface procoagulant. TFN-alpha beta, TFN-alpha, IL-1, either alone or in combination with LPS or IFN-gamma, had no effect on macrophage procoagulant activity expression. In contrast to the dramatic increases of macrophage procoagulant activity induced by IFN-gamma/LPS, on exudate macrophages, normal peritoneal macrophages, or peripheral blood monocytes were unresponsive suggesting that the state of activation of the macrophage determines reactivity. IFN-gamma induced a Factor VIIa-like activity detected only after cell disruption. Synergy between LPS and IFN-gamma-induced procoagulants may occur as the result of the assembly of the thromboplastin (induced by LPS), Factor VII/VIIa complex on the macrophage surface. RNA synthesis was required for procoagulant induction. Procoagulant expression may, as for other cytokines involved in inflammatory responses, be regulated by short lived repressor proteins as low dose cycloheximide superinduced procoagulant responses to both LPS and IFN-gamma and caused the extracellular expression of procoagulant in response to IFN-gamma. This study suggests an important role for IFN-gamma in the assembly of components of the extrinsic coagulant cascade on the macrophage surface. The synergy between IFN-gamma and LPS may moderate macrophage-initiated fibrin deposition characteristic of inflammatory responses.     

Susceptibility and resistance to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and neuritis in the guinea pig correlate with the induction of procoagulant and anticoagulant activities

Activation of macrophage procoagulant activity (MPCA) is involved in the manifestation of EAE and EAN in susceptible guinea pigs and provides a mechanism for the deposition of fibrin, which is a feature of histologic lesions of EAE. Peritoneal exudate cells (PEC) from susceptible (strain 13) guinea pigs immunized with either central or peripheral nervous tissue antigens produce procoagulant activity when incubated with the immunogen in vitro. The production of the procoagulant is quantitative and antigen-specific and is maximal at the time of clinical signs of the disease. After recovery, the production of procoagulant activity decreased. The MPCA test was able to discriminate the biochemical differences existing between chicken and mammalian peripheral nerve proteins, thus providing a quantitative and sensitive indicator of cell-mediated immunity in EAE and EAN. The autoimmune response to brain and nerve antigens in nonsusceptible (strain 2) guinea pigs was coincident with the antigen-specific production of a cell-bound anticoagulant activity by stimulated mononuclear cells. The production of anticoagulant activity followed the same sequence of time changes after immunization as that of the MPCA in susceptible guinea pigs, and high immunizing doses of nerve antigens induced high levels of anticoagulant activity. The same cells produced high levels of procoagulant when incubated with tuberculin or lipopolysaccharide. The recalcification time of normal plasma was prolonged by the anticoagulant, and the decreased clotting time of plasma induced by the procoagulant activity obtained by incubating sensitized strain 13 PEC with myelin basic protein was suppressed by the anticoagulant produced by culturing sensitized strain 2 PEC with myelin basic protein. Preliminary evidence indicates that the anticoagulant has properties similar to antithrombin III. The anticoagulant could play a role in the control of effector cell function, and therefore in recovery from clinical features of EAE and EAN in susceptible guinea pigs.     

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.     

Suppression of Ag-induced release of EP (IL 1) by spleen cells of specifically desensitized donors: evidence for the role of a suppressor cell

Monocytes or macrophages may be induced to produce IL 1 by activators (e.g., lipopolysaccharide endotoxin) that act directly or by antigens/mitogens (e.g., Con A) that stimulate inducer lymphocytes to release a lymphokine that stimulates macrophages. Using guinea pigs (GP) rendered delayed hypersensitive to ovalbumin (OVA), we investigated the role of spleen cells from normal, sensitized, and specifically desensitized GP in suppressing release of IL 1, measured as endogenous pyrogen (EP), from peritoneal exudates of sensitized GP when incubated with OVA in vitro. Co-cultivation of all three sources of spleen cells with GP peritoneal exudate cells and OVA suppressed EP release as measured in the rabbit fever assay, the effect being most marked with cells from desensitized GP, intermediate with cells from sensitized GP, and least with normal cells. This suppressor activity of spleen cells on in vitro EP release was not explained by nonspecific absorption of EP by the added cells and did not affect EP release by a stimulus that activates macrophages directly (heat-killed staphylococci). It required both lymphocytes and macrophages for its effect, but unlike some other suppressor factors, it was not modified by indomethacin, an inhibitor of prostaglandin release. This appears to be the first reported evidence for cell-mediated suppression of lymphokine-mediated release of IL 1, an important modulator of the immune system through its combined role as a lymphocyte-activating factor and an inducer of fever (EP).     

Macrophage procoagulant-inducing activity of influenza-specific effector T cells

Three different types of immune mouse T cells raised against influenza virus were tested for their ability to induce the formation of macrophage procoagulant activity (MPCA) by a macrophage cell line PU5-1.8. They were primary spleen cells, taken 6 days after iv injection of virus, spleen cells from sensitized mice challenged with virus and cultured in vitro for 5 days (secondary cultured cells), and cloned T cells. With the last two preparations, some samples were K,D region restricted, Lyt 2⁺, and had cytotoxic activity; other samples were I region restricted, Lyt 2^?, and were not cytotoxic. Samples of a concanavalin A-activated T-cell supernatant which regularly induced MPCA with PU5-1.8 cells were included as controls in all assays. A few batches of T-cell preparations failed to induce MPCA production, however, most batches were active. Two sources of variation were detected: first, the number of cells (5-to 150-fold) needed to induce a certain level of MPCA, as measured by the decrease in clotting time; and second, the value of the gradient of the cell dose response. Both K,D- and I-region-restricted cells, either as cloned or secondary cultured cells, could induce MPCA but with the latter preparation, I-region-restricted cells were the better inducers by about eightfold. T cells tested in this way were also injected into mouse hind footpads and their ability to mediate delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reactions was measured. A positive but not proportional correlation between the abilities to induce MPCA and mediate DTH activity for primary spleen cells was found, but this was not generally observed with cultured or cloned T cells.     

Stimulation of macrophage tumoricidal activity by the growth and differentiation factor CSF-1

The effect of the macrophage growth and differentiation factor CSF-1 on the tumoricidal capacity of murine peritoneal exudate macrophages was investigated. Pretreatment of peptone-elicited macrophages 1 day with 300-1200 U/ml CSF-1 induced moderate killing and greatly stimulated lymphokine (LK)-induced killing of [3H]thymidine-labeled TU5 sarcoma cells to levels above that seen with fresh macrophages. Further addition of CSF-1 at Day 1 at the time of the tumor lysis assay promoted moderate increases in spontaneous and LK-induced activity. CSF-1 did not stimulate freshly harvested exudate macrophages to lyse TU5 targets in the presence or absence of lymphokine (LK) activators. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) at 0.1-1000 ng/ml did not stimulate cytotoxicity, and the low endotoxin content and the use of polymyxin B and C3H/HeJ mice excluded a role for LPS in these experiments. Incubation of the macrophages with IFN and the myeloid growth factors IL-3 and GM-CSF did not stimulate tumoricidal activity. CSF-1 has been proposed as a therapeutic agent to restore myeloid cell numbers in induced (cancer chemotherapy, bone marrow transplantation, etc.) and natural aplastic anemias. These studies show that CSF-1 also may be useful in combination with LK activators to promote resistance to cancer in mature mononuclear cells. CSF-1 may have similar effects in LK-activated macrophages to enhance resistance to infectious diseases.     

Induction by immunomodulatory agents of a macrophage antigen recognized by monoclonal antibody 158.2 and correlation with macrophage function

MA158.2, a rat monoclonal antibody with binding specificity for cells of the monocyte-macrophage lineage, reacts with an antigen (158.2) whose expression is enhanced on mononuclear cells activated to the tumoricidal phenotype by treatment with lymphokine supernatant containing macrophage activating factor (MAF). The functional relevance of enhanced expression of this antigen has been examined in mouse peritoneal macrophages treated with a variety of immunomodulatory agents and assayed for augmented macrophage-mediated defense reactions, including O-2 production, microbicidal, and tumoricidal activity. An interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) preparation produced by recombinant DNA technology induced a dose-dependent increase in expression of the 158.2 antigen in inflammatory macrophages which was accompanied by acquisition of microbicidal activity against Listeria monocytogenes. However, these cells did not express tumoricidal activity and induction of this property required concomitant exposure to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Similar results were obtained using macrophages elicited with pyran copolymer. Exposure to LPS alone induced enhanced expression of antigen 158.2 but did not elicit microbicidal activity. Macrophages challenged with IFN-alpha, IFN-beta, MDP, and bestatin did not exhibit increased 158.2 and also failed to acquire tumoricidal activity when treated concomitantly with LPS. Collectively, these data indicate that the MA 158.2 antibody recognizes an antigen expressed by macrophage populations displaying the so-called primed phenotype in which microbicidal activity is expressed but in which induction of tumoricidal activity requires the addition of a second signal such as LPS.     

Dietary Melibiose Regulates Th Cell Response and Enhances the Induction of Oral Tolerance

We examined how dietary melibiose affected the T-helper (Th) cell responses induced by an orally fed antigen in ovalbumin (OVA)-specific T cell receptor transgenic mice (OVA 23-3). Dietary melibiose markedly decreased the Th2 type responses as shown by a significant decrease in the interleukin (IL)-4 production and T cell proliferative response induced by sensitization from the 7-d oral administration of OVA. It was additionally observed that the Th1 type responses tended to decrease. We therefore examined the effect of melibiose feeding on the induction of immunological tolerance induced by the oral administration of an antigen (oral tolerance). The Th cell responses induced in BALB/c mice by subcutaneous immunization with OVA were suppressed by the prior oral administration of OVA. Such responses in the OVA-fed and immunized mice were further diminished by dietary melibiose. These results suggest that dietary melibiose strongly affected the Th cell responses to an ingested antigen, and further demonstrate the potential of melibiose to enhance the induction of oral tolerance.     

Dietary melibiose regulates th cell response and enhances the induction of oral tolerance

We examined how dietary melibiose affected the T-helper (Th) cell responses induced by an orally fed antigen in ovalbumin (OVA)-specific T cell receptor transgenic mice (OVA 23-3). Dietary melibiose markedly decreased the Th2 type responses as shown by a significant decrease in the interleukin (IL)-4 production and T cell proliferative response induced by sensitization from the 7-d oral administration of OVA. It was additionally observed that the Th1 type responses tended to decrease. We therefore examined the effect of melibiose feeding on the induction of immunological tolerance induced by the oral administration of an antigen (oral tolerance). The Th cell responses induced in BALB/c mice by subcutaneous immunization with OVA were suppressed by the prior oral administration of OVA. Such responses in the OVA-fed and immunized mice were further diminished by dietary melibiose. These results suggest that dietary melibiose strongly affected the Th cell responses to an ingested antigen, and further demonstrate the potential of melibiose to enhance the induction of oral tolerance.     

Downregulation of Key Early Events in the Mobilization of Antigen-bearing Dendritic Cells by Leukocyte Immunoglobulin-like Receptor B4 in a Mouse Model of Allergic Pulmonary Inflammation

Leukocyte Immunoglobulin-like Receptor B4 (LILRB4) null mice have an exacerbated T helper cell type 2 (Th2) immune response and pulmonary inflammation compared with Lilrb4^+/+ animals when sensitized intranasally with ovalbumin (OVA) and low-dose lipopolysaccharide (LPS) followed by challenge with OVA. Moreover, OVA-challenged Lilrb4 ^−/− mice exhibit greater migration of antigen (Ag)-bearing dendritic cells (DCs) to lymph nodes and accumulation of interleukin 4- and interleukin 5-producing lymph node lymphocytes. The main objective of this study was to determine how the absence of LILRB4 leads to a greater number of DCs in the lymph nodes of Ag-challenged mice and increased lung Th2 inflammation. Mice were sensitized intranasally with PBS alone or containing OVA and LPS; additional cohorts were subsequently challenged with OVA. Expression of chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 21 (CCL21) in the lung was assessed immunohistologically. OVA ingestion and expression of LILRB4 and chemokine (C-C motif) receptor 7 (CCR7) were quantified by flow cytometry. Inhalation of OVA and LPS induced upregulation of LILRB4 selectively on lung Ag-bearing DCs. After sensitization and challenge, the lung lymphatic vessels of Lilrb4 ^−/− mice expressed more CCL21, a chemokine that directs the migration of DCs from peripheral tissue to draining lymph nodes, compared with Lilrb4^+/+ mice. In addition, lung DCs of challenged Lilrb4 ^−/− mice expressed more CCR7, the CCL21 receptor. The lungs of challenged Lilrb4 ^−/− mice also contained significantly greater numbers of CD4+ cells expressing interleukin-4 or interleukin-5, consistent with the greater number of Ag-bearing DCs and Th2 cells in lymph nodes and the attendant exacerbated Th2 lung pathology. Our data establish a new mechanism by which LILRB4 can downregulate the development of pathologic allergic inflammation: reduced upregulation of key molecules needed for DC migration leading to decreases in Th2 cells in lymph nodes and their target tissue.     

Non-H-2 linked control of low versus high responses of antigen-induced lymph node cell proliferation: possible role for antigen-presenting cells.

Quantitative differences in the magnitude of antigen-induced proliferative responses of sensitized lymph node cells between low (C3H/Anf or C3H/Cr) and high (C3H/Hej or CBA/j) responder H-2k mice have been observed 1 to 2 weeks after in vivo sensitization with antigen (OVA, PPD, and GAT). We have shown that antigen presentation is less effective in the sensitized lymph node cell populations from low responder mice compared with those from high responder mice, suggesting that the number and/or functional status of antigen-presenting cells in the regional lymph nodes may be a key factor in determining the magnitude of antigen-induced proliferative responses. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that cell traffic after sensitization plays an important role in determining the immune responsiveness of lymph nodes.     

Cytokine responses to recombinant cholera toxin B subunit produced by Bacillus brevis as a mucosal adjuvant

We attempted to clarify the mechanism of the mucosal adjuvanticity of recombinant cholera toxin B subunit (rCTB), which is inherently uncontaminated with the holotoxin produced by Bacillus brevis and has a powerful mucosal adjuvant activity, on cytokine responses compared with that of cholera toxin (CT). rCTB had no ability to stimulate cyclic AMP formation in mouse peritoneal macrophages (Mphi). Cytokine production by non-immunized Mphi cultured with rCTB or CT and by the spleen cells of mice co-immunized intranasally with ovalbumin (OVA) and rCTB or CT was examined. rCTB alone did not induce interleukin (IL)-1alpha/beta or IL-6 production by Mphi, but combination of rCTB with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) enhanced both IL-1alpha/beta production. Conversely, CT plus LPS suppressed IL-1alpha/beta production more than LPS alone. Both rCTB and CT suppressed IL-12 secretion induced by interferon gamma (IFN gamma) plus LPS. IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-10 were secreted by mouse spleen cells restimulated with OVA after intranasal co-administration of OVA together with rCTB, and in response to CT, the same cytokines were secreted. The different effect of rCTB on Mphi from that of CT may mean a difference between the mechanisms of rCTB and CT during the early stage of an immune response.     

Antibody-antigen interaction in the airway drives early granulocyte recruitment through BLT1

Antibody-antigen interactions in the airway initiate inflammation in acute asthma exacerbations. This inflammatory response is characterized by the recruitment of granulocytes into the airways. In murine models of asthma, granulocyte recruitment into the lung contributes to the development of airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), mucus production, and airway remodeling. Leukotriene B4 is a mediator released following antigen challenge that has chemotactic activity for granulocytes, mediated through its receptor, BLT1. We investigated the role of BLT1 in granulocyte recruitment following antigen challenge. Wild-type mice and BLT1-/- mice were sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin (OVA) to induce acute allergic airway inflammation. In addition, to explore the relevance to antibody-antigen interactions, we injected OVA bound to anti-OVA IgG1 or anti-OVA IgE intratracheally into na?ve wild-type and BLT1-/- mice. Cell composition of the lungs, cytokine levels, histology, and AHR were determined. After sensitization and challenge with ovalbumin, there was significantly reduced neutrophil and eosinophil recruitment into the airways of BLT1-/- mice compared with wild-type animals after one or two daily antigen challenges, but this difference was not seen after three or four daily antigen challenges. Mucus production and AHR were not affected. Intratracheal injection of OVA bound to IgG1 or IgE induced neutrophil recruitment into the airways in wild-type mice but not in the BLT1-/- mice. We conclude that BLT1 mediates early recruitment of granulocytes into the airway in response to antigen-antibody interactions in a murine model of acute asthma.     

Selective induction of B7/BB-1 on interferon-gamma stimulated monocytes: a potential mechanism for amplification of T cell activation through the CD28 pathway.

The B cell activation antigen B7/BB-1 is the natural ligand for the T cell antigen CD28 and these two molecules are capable of mediating T-B cell adhesion. Engagement of the CD28 pathway provides a costimulatory signal to T cells leading to enhanced lymphokine production. We report that interferon-gamma (INF-gamma) induces the expression of B7/BB-1 on monocytes. This induction was very specific since other cytokines and stimuli which activate monocytes including M-CSF, GM-CSF, IL3, TNF-alpha, and LPS were unable to induce B7/BB-1. Following culture of monocytes with INF-gamma, maximal mRNA and cell surface B7/BB-1 expression was detected at 12 and 24 hr, respectively. In addition to antigen presentation, optimal T cell activation and lymphokine synthesis require an additional cell to cell contact signal provided by the antigen presenting cell. The induction of B7/BB-1 on monocytes and subsequent heterophilic interaction of B7/BB-1 with CD28 may provide a mechanism for the amplification of T cell proliferation and lymphokine production by INF-gamma activated monocytes.     

Oral administration of ovalbumin after sensitization attenuates symptoms in a mouse model of food allergic enteropathy

Oral immunotherapy (OIT) is a promising treatment of food allergy. To administer an appropriate oral dose of an allergenic component as OIT to individuals sensitized with a food allergen may prevent inducing food allergic inflammation in them. So we attempted to establish a mouse model to evaluate efficacy for oral administration of food allergen after sensitization. In BALB/c mice sensitized by injecting ovalbumin (OVA) with alum twice, OVA was administered before inducing inflammation by feeding the mice with egg white (EW) diet. Severe inflammatory responses, such as enteropathy, weight loss, IL-4 production, and increase of IgE antibody levels, were suppressed by administration with 4 mg of OVA 7 times before feeding EW diet. OVA administration alone induced a slight Th2 response, but no symptoms. The current study demonstrated that severe food allergic enteropathy could be prevented by pre-administration with appropriate dose of OVA to sensitized mice.     

Delayed hypersensitivity and migration inhibition in two lines of mice genetically selected for high or low responsiveness to phytohemagglutinin

Delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) and cell migration inhibition (MI) were studied in two lines of mice genetically selected for the high (Hi/PHA) or low (Lo/PHA) in vitro response of their lymphoid cells to phytochemagglutinin (PHA). A rapid photoelectric procedure for reading cell migrations enabled the study of MI over a wide range (10 log) of antigen concentrations in vitro. Hi/PHA mice required immunization with a 10 times higher dose of ovalbumin (OVA) in Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA) than Lo/PHA mice for a comparable response in DTH (footpad swelling) and MI of their induced peritoneal exudate cells (PEC). Lo/PHA spleen showed marked bizonal MI on Day 5 after immunization with low doses (0.1 and 0.5 micrograms) of OVA in FCA, one peak being obtained in presence of in vitro concentrations of 10(-3) or 10(-2) micrograms/ml OVA and another peak at 1 or 10 micrograms/ml, whereas Hi/PHA spleen showed stimulation of migration. In contrast, MI in Lo/PHA spleen failed to persist beyond Day 19, whereas it appeared progressively in Hi/PHA spleen, being maximal by Day 27. Low-zone inhibition in Hi/PHA spleen and PEC was lacking or poor even after immunization with higher doses of OVA in FCA. The implications of these findings are discussed.     

Transient neutrophil infiltration after allergen challenge is dependent on specific antibodies and Fc gamma III receptors

Following allergen challenge of sensitized mice, neutrophils are the first inflammatory cells found in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid. To determine the underlying mechanism for their accumulation, mice were sensitized to OVA on days 0 and 14, and received, on day 28, a single intranasal challenge (s.i.n.) with either OVA or ragweed. Eight hours after the s.i.n., BAL fluid was obtained. BALB/c mice sensitized and challenged with OVA showed significantly higher total cell counts and numbers of neutrophils in BAL fluid compared to the OVA-sensitized and ragweed-challenged or nonsensitized mice. Levels of neutrophil chemokines in BAL fluid supernatants were markedly elevated in the sensitized and OVA-challenged mice; Fc epsilon RI-deficient mice showed comparable numbers of neutrophils and neutrophil chemokines in BAL fluid after s.i.n. But in sensitized mice lacking the Fc common gamma-chain and B cell-deficient mice, the number of neutrophils and levels of neutrophil chemokines in BAL fluid were significantly lower. Further, mice lacking the FcgammaRIII did not develop this early neutrophil influx. Neutrophil infiltration could be induced in naive mice following intranasal instillation of allergen combined with allergen-specific IgG1. In addition, macrophages from sensitized mice were stimulated with allergen and activated to produce neutrophil chemokines. These results demonstrate that neutrophil influx after allergen challenge requires prior sensitization, is allergen-specific, is mediated through FcgammaRIII, and is dependent on the presence of Ab.     

Immunoregulation by macrophages: differential secretion of prostaglandin E and interleukin 1 during infection with Salmonella enteritidis

We have investigated the temporal relationship between bacterial clearance in vivo, macrophage bactericidal activity in vitro, and the secretion of immunoregulatory molecules, prostaglandin E (PGE) and Interleukin 1 (IL1) in vitro, during infection with an avirulent strain of Salmonella, Salmonella enteritidis 11RX. The two model systems used were normal mice challenged intraperitoneally with SE11RX (NSE) and previously sensitized mice rechallenged 24 days later with SE11RX (SESE). The increasing nonspecific bactericidal activity of the peritoneal macrophages from NSE and SESE mice after the second day of infection paralleled the clearance of bacteria observed in vivo. Prostaglandin secretion by normal macrophages cultured for 4 hr with LPS correlated inversely with intracellular bacterial numbers but showed a positive correlation when cultured with opsonized SRBC or C3-zymosan complexes. PGE was the major arachidonate metabolite secreted. The cells from sensitized mice secreted tittle prostaglandin with any stimulus, and this secretion showed a positive correlation with bacterial number. The capacity to secrete IL1 in response to LPS increased during infection in both NSE and SESE mice. There was an inverse correlation between IL1 secretion and PGE production by cells from sensitized mice. We propose that changes in the capacity of peritoneal macrophages to secrete IL1 and PGE in response to stimulants in vitro reflect the initiation and regulation of the immune response through the course of infection.