title: Effects of fungal beta-glucan and interferon-gamma on the secretory functions of murine alveolar macrophages.
abstract: We investigated the effect of a fungal component, soluble beta-glucan, on secretory functions of murine alveolar macrophages (AMs) in vitro. Stimulation by beta-glucan (500 microg/mL) or interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma; 100 U/mL) alone had a slight effect on AM functions, but when AMs were incubated together with beta-glucan and IFN-gamma, the production and secretion of some immune mediators, such as nitric oxide, interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), were markedly augmented. This combined effect of beta-glucan and IFN-gamma was based on a priming effect of IFN-gamma, because prestimulation with IFN-gamma followed by beta-glucan induced high nitric oxide production of AMs, but reversal of the sequence of treatments had only a slight effect. We also found that preincubation of AMs with IFN-gamma enhanced the binding of fluorescein-labeled beta-glucan on the AM surface, and this increased binding was abrogated to the control level by the addition of three species of soluble unlabeled (1-->3)-beta-D-glucans but not by soluble alpha-glucan. These data imply that the priming effect of IFN-gamma on the AM response to beta-glucan was dependent, at least in part, on the enhancement of beta-glucan specific binding sites on the AM surface. It was suggested that IFN-gamma is one of the principal factors controlling the pulmonary immune system against both severe fungal infection and inflammation via AM activation at the alveoli.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunopharmacology of Microbial Products, School of Pharmacy, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Science, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sakurai
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ohno
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yadomae
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001203:Ascomycota; D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D002240:Carbohydrate Sequence; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D017931:DNA Primers; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005936:Glucans / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016676:Macrophages, Alveolar / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012566:Sizofiran / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D017931:DNA Primers; D005936:Glucans; D007375:Interleukin-1; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D012566:Sizofiran; D007371:Interferon-gamma