title: Effect of C-reactive protein on peritoneal macrophages. II. Human C-reactive protein activates peritoneal macrophages of guinea pigs to release superoxide anion in vitro.
abstract: The effect of human C-reactive protein (CRP) on macrophage function was studied in an assay of superoxide anion (O2-) production. Peritoneal exudate macrophages (PEM) of guinea pigs exposed in vitro to various doses of CRP for 72 hr resulted in the development of O2- production dose-dependently, measured by increases in superoxide dismutase-inhibitable nitro blue tetrazolium reduction. The O2--producing activity of PEM cultured without CRP, used as a control, decreased markedly in proportion to incubation time. The O2- production by PEM exposed to CRP for 18 hr when control PEM were still high in O2- production, was decreased by larger doses of CRP, while PEM cultured without CRP for 72 hr, when O2- production by control PEM was very low, followed by incubation with CRP for another 18 hr, produced O2- CRP-dose-dependently as in the case of that observed after 72-hr incubation with CRP. These results indicate that CRP is capable of activating macrophages and acts on macrophage function as a modulator. CRP possesses migration inhibitory factor (MIF)-like activity (as reported in the preceding paper) and also macrophage-activating factor (MAF)-like activity, indicating that CRP may play a functional role at the site of inflammation and tissue damage by accumulating and activating macrophages.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinico-Laboratory Diagnostics, Nara Medical University.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Miyagawa
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Okamoto
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakano
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008262:Macrophage Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010529:Peritoneal Cavity / Q000166:cytology; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D013481:Superoxides; D002097:C-Reactive Protein