Establishment of an activated macrophage cell line, A-THP-1, and its properties.
A new macrophage cell line with activated character and unique morphology was isolated by selecting adherent cells from the human monocytic cell line THP-1. The original THP-1 cells had been cultured for more than 9 years using 25 cm2 flasks, when cells with a different morphology appeared, adhering to the bottoms of the culture flasks. These were selected by discarding floating nonadherent cells at every subculture. Enrichment of adherent THP-1 cells with long processes proceeded during the cultivation. These adherent THP-1 showed remarkable phenotypic changes, not only morphologically, but also functionally. Namely, increased phagocytic activity, HLA-DR expression and MLR stimulator activity were remarkable. This adherent cell line was designated as activated-THP-1 (A-THP-1), since it demonstrated characteristics of activated macrophages continuously without exogenous stimulation. A cloned A-THP-1 cell line (A-THP-1 C1) also showed the same features and contained about 10% multinucleated giant cells probably caused by cell fusion. This A-THP-1 cell line, the first activated macrophage cell line to be established, provides a good model for understanding of activation mechanisms of macrophages and multinucleation. In this paper, morphological, immunological, and biological characters of this cell line are described.
Tominaga
T
T
The First Department of Surgery, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
Suzuki
M
M
Saeki
H
H
Matsuno
S
S
Tachibana
T
T
Kudo
T
T
D000199:Actins / Q000032:analysis; D000782:Aneuploidy; D043182:Carboxylesterase; D002265:Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases / Q000032:analysis; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002460:Cell Line; D002877:Chromosomes, Human / Q000648:ultrastructure; D016207:Cytokines / Q000494:pharmacology; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000032:analysis; D007621:Karyotyping; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000032:analysis; D007948:Leukemia, Monocytic, Acute / Q000473:pathology; D007959:Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; D008262:Macrophage Activation; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009000:Monocytes / Q000166:cytology; D010587:Phagocytosis; D010641:Phenotype; D011951:Receptors, Complement / Q000032:analysis; D017452:Receptors, IgG / Q000032:analysis; D012397:Rosette Formation; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000166:cytology
D000199:Actins; D016207:Cytokines; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D007527:Isoenzymes; D011951:Receptors, Complement; D017452:Receptors, IgG; D009418:S100 Proteins; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D002265:Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases; D043182:Carboxylesterase