title: Rat mesangial cells have a selective role in macrophage recruitment and activation.
abstract: In proliferative glomerulonephritis glomeruli are the target of an inflammatory reaction involving macrophage recruitment and activation. We examined the role of mesangial cells in this process. Supernatants from basal, IL-1, IFN-tau or LPS-stimulated rat mesangial cells (MCS) were tested for chemotactic, colony-stimulating and activation effects on macrophages in vitro. IL-1-stimulated MCS produced a macrophage chemoattractant (p = 0.007 compared with basal MCS) and MCP-1 mRNA was detected in IL-1-stimulated mesangial cells. LPS or IL-1-stimulated MCS produced colony-stimulating activity (LPS p < 0.05, IL-1 p < 0.01, compared with basal MCS or control supernatant, CS). Macrophage activation, assessed by nitric oxide generation, was suppressed. This evidence from functional bioassays supports a selective role for mesangial cells in the control of macrophage-induced glomerular injury, whereby activated mesangial cells participate in the recruitment and proliferation of infiltrating macrophages, and suppresses at least one field of macrophage activation, namely nitric oxide generation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histopathology, St. Mary's Hospital Medical School, London, UK.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Largen
authors.forename: F W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Tam
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Rees
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cattell
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D002630:Chemotactic Factors / Q000235:genetics; D002633:Chemotaxis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D015870:Gene Expression; D005920:Glomerular Mesangium / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D015432:Glomerulonephritis, Membranoproliferative / Q000473:pathology*; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000378:metabolism; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008262:Macrophage Activation / Q000502:physiology*; D016173:Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew
chemical_list: D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D002630:Chemotactic Factors; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D007375:Interleukin-1; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D016173:Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor; D007371:Interferon-gamma