title: Selective suppression of interleukin-12 induction after macrophage receptor ligation.
abstract: Interleukin (IL)-12 is a monocyte- and macrophage-derived cytokine that plays a crucial role in both the innate and the acquired immune response. In this study, we examined the effects that ligating specific macrophage receptors had on the induction of IL-12 by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). We report that ligation of the macrophage Fcgamma, complement, or scavenger receptors inhibited the induction of IL-12 by LPS. Both mRNA synthesis and protein secretion were diminished to near-undetectable levels following receptor ligation. Suppression was specific to IL-12 since IL-10 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) production were not inhibited by ligating macrophage receptors. The results of several different experimental approaches suggest that IL-12 downregulation was due to extracellular calcium influxes that resulted from receptor ligation. First, preventing extracellular calcium influxes, by performing the assays in EGTA, abrogated FcgammaR-mediated IL-12(p40) mRNA suppression. Second, exposure of macrophages to the calcium ionophores, ionomycin or A23187, mimicked receptor ligation and inhibited IL-12(p40) mRNA induction by LPS. Finally, bone marrow-derived macrophages from FcR gamma chain-deficient mice, which fail to flux calcium after receptor ligation, failed to inhibit IL-12(p40) mRNA induction. These results indicate that the calcium influxes that occur as a result of receptor ligation are responsible for inhibiting the induction of IL-12 by LPS. Hence, the ligation of phagocytic receptors on macrophages can lead to a dramatic decrease in IL-12 induction. This downregulation may be a way of limiting proinflammatory responses of macrophages to extracellular pathogens, or suppressing the development of cell-mediated immunity to intracellular pathogens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19140, USA.
authors.forename: F S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Sutterwala
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Noel
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Clynes
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Mosser
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D015536:Down-Regulation; D004533:Egtazic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae / Q000276:immunology; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D015759:Ionomycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008024:Ligands; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011951:Receptors, Complement / Q000378:metabolism; D017452:Receptors, IgG / Q000378:metabolism; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000378:metabolism*; D018110:Receptors, Lipoprotein; D051116:Receptors, Scavenger; D051122:Scavenger Receptors, Class B; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D008024:Ligands; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011951:Receptors, Complement; D017452:Receptors, IgG; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D018110:Receptors, Lipoprotein; D051116:Receptors, Scavenger; C454739:Scarb1 protein, mouse; D051122:Scavenger Receptors, Class B; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10; D018664:Interleukin-12; D004533:Egtazic Acid; D015759:Ionomycin; D002118:Calcium