Rat mesangial cells produce granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor.
Because inflammatory processes in renal glomeruli may involve monocyte-macrophages (MPs) and T-lymphocytes, we have investigated whether products of glomerular mesangial cells (MCs) can stimulate the proliferative activity of these effector cells. We found that cultured rat MCs (subcultures 2-15), maintained under serum-free conditions, secrete a soluble factor into the supernate [MC-conditioned medium (CM)], which supports growth of the T-helper cell-derived line HT-2. Moreover, MC-CM increased [3H]thymidine incorporation by thioglycollate-elicited peritoneal MPs but did not induce growth of the interleukin 2 (IL-2)- or interleukin 4 (IL-4)-dependent cell line CTLL-2. Further functional, serological, and biochemical analysis of MC-CM revealed that rat MCs secrete a cytokine that, by all of the techniques used, is indistinguishable from granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). Both northern blot and in situ hybridization with a specific cDNA probe for murine GM-CSF showed that MCs express GM-CSF mRNA transcripts. The present findings indicate that cultured rat MCs produce GM-CSF. Release of GM-CSF by MCs in vivo may play a role in the interaction of MCs with MPs, T-cells, and neutrophils in glomerular disease.
Budde
K
K
Department of Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510.
Coleman
D L
DL
Lacy
J
J
Sterzel
R B
RB
D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003115:Colony-Stimulating Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D004261:DNA Replication / Q000187:drug effects; D005920:Glomerular Mesangium / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes
D003115:Colony-Stimulating Factors; D006133:Growth Substances; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor