calcimycin and Infections

In our previous report, we demonstrated that the functions of phagocytes and lymphocytes were defective in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In an attempt to further clarify the defective mechanisms of these cells, 25 active SLE, 10 bronchial asthma patients (BA) on corticosteroids and 25 age and sex-matched normal individuals were investigated for the expression of membraneous C3b receptors, ionophore-induced 45Ca(2+)-uptake, mitochondrial potentials and phagocytic activity of neutrophils. We found decreased expression of C3b receptors on SLE PMN in both resting (37.2 +/- 3.7% of the normal controls) and FMLP-stimulated (68.3 +/- 7.1% of the normal controls) conditions, whereas the C3b receptor expression on BA-PMN receiving long-term steroid treatment was not different from normal controls. This suggests that the defective phagocytosis of SLE PMN is in the recognition, but not in the ingestion phase because of the normal function of Ca(2+)-influx and mitochondrial activity in SLE PMN. On the other hand, hyporesponsiveness to PHA stimulation (stimulation index: 127.4 +/- 46.3 in SLE vs. 311.2 +/- 30.4 in normals, p = 0.0077) was a distinct cell-mediated immune abnormality in our SLE patients. We measured the membrane potential of individual cells using 3,3'-dihexyloxacarbocyanin and found hyperpolarization in resting SLE lymphocytes. However, the membrane polarization of SLE lymphocytes became lower than that of normal cells after PHA stimulation for 3 days. A similar tendency was also found in Na(+)-K(+)-dependent ATPase activity in SLE lymphocytes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Asthma; Calcimycin; Calcium; Disease Susceptibility; Female; Humans; Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes; Infections; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic; Lymphocyte Activation; Lymphocytes; Membrane Potentials; Middle Aged; Neutrophils; Phagocytosis; Receptors, Complement; Receptors, Complement 3b; Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase

Macrophages cultured with IL-2 and IFN-gamma before exposure to microorganisms developed the ability to resist infection with the obligate intracellular parasite, Leishmania major. The induction of this macrophage effector response was maximal by 6 to 8 h after lymphokine addition, and was independent of lymphokine treatment sequence. Activation of macrophages for resistance to infection was the result of the direct action of IL-2 and IFN-gamma on macrophages: the effector reaction was demonstrated in both resident peritoneal macrophages depleted of T cells and bone marrow-derived cells, a homogeneous macrophage population. Radiolabeled murine rIFN-gamma, human rIL-2, and mAb to the IL-2R (7D4), each bound to murine bone marrow-derived macrophages in a specific and saturable manner, which suggested that unstimulated macrophages have receptors for both lymphokines. Treatment of macrophages with IFN-gamma increased the specific binding of IL-2; treatment of cells with IL-2, however, did not up-regulate the IFN-gamma-R. Addition of protein or RNA synthesis inhibitors (cycloheximide, emetine, actinomycin D) during exposure to rIL-2 and rIFN-gamma totally abrogated the ability of macrophages to express this effector reaction; inhibitors of protein kinase C, PG, or calcium redistribution had no effect. Soluble polyclonal anti-TNF-alpha antibodies in culture fluids after activation of macrophages with IL-2 and IFN-gamma totally abrogated the expression of resistance to infection. The T cell growth hormone IL-2 acts as cofactor with IFN-gamma for induction of a macrophage antimicrobial activity, and TNF-alpha may be the effector molecule for resistance to infection regulated by these two lymphokines.

Topics: Animals; Calcimycin; Immunity, Innate; Infections; Interferon-gamma; Interleukin-2; Macrophage Activation; Macrophages; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred Strains; Receptors, Interleukin-2; Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha