Acquisition of the monocyte/macrophage phenotype in human mesangial cells.
The function of intrinsic glomerular cells in active glomerular inflammation may be similar to that of monocytes/macrophages. Mesangial cells have phagocytic properties and release numerous mediators. In this study we examined whether human mesangial cells (hMCs) express a monocyte/macrophage phenotype in active glomerular inflammation. We report that the proto-oncogene c-fms, the macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) receptor, which is a characteristic gene of monocytes/macrophages, is expressed in hMCs. Normal unmanipulated hMCs express weak c-fms mRNA by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and its expression increases after stimulation with platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) and epidermal growth factor (EGF). The expression of c-fms was also demonstrated by flow cytometry with a specific polyclonal antibody. By immunohistochemistry, c-fms was prominently detected in acute glomerulonephritis, IgA nephritis, and lupus nephritis. These results indicate that hMCs express c-fms in active glomerular inflammation and are consistent with mesangial cells acquiring some macrophage-like characteristics in diseased states.
Watanabe
S
S
Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Showa University Fujigaoka Hospital, Yokohama, Japan.
Yoshimura
A
A
Inui
K
K
Yokota
N
N
Liu
Y
Y
Sugenoya
Y
Y
Morita
H
H
Ideura
T
T
D000208:Acute Disease; D000077214:Becaplermin; D002452:Cell Count; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D005920:Glomerular Mesangium / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005922:Glomerulonephritis, IGA / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008181:Lupus Nephritis / Q000378:metabolism; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D010641:Phenotype; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D020574:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D016186:Receptor, Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
C000715470:MAS1 protein, human; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D020574:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000077214:Becaplermin; D016186:Receptor, Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor