Human macrophage lectin specific for galactose/N-acetylgalactosamine is a marker for cells at an intermediate stage in their differentiation from monocytes into macrophages.
We studied the expression of a human macrophage lectin specific for galactose/N-acetylgalactosamine (hMGL) during macrophage differentiation. The expression of hMGL during the in vitro differentiation induced by human serum was examined by immunostaining and Western blotting with a specific mAb, MLD-1, as well as with RT-PCR analysis. hMGL was detected on cells at an intermediate stage of differentiation. These cells were round, slightly larger in size (12.7 +/- 0.2 microm) than monocytes (9.8 +/- 0.1 microm) and expressed the macrophage marker CD14, but lacked the dendritic cell marker CD1a. The highest levels of expression occurred after 2-4 days of culture. At this time point, MLD-1 prominently stained 20-40% of the cells. Monocytes cultured for 16 h or fully differentiated monocyte-derived macrophages were negative or weak for hMGL expression. Similar transient expression was also observed during granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor- or macrophage colony stimulating factor-dependent macrophage differentiation. The lectin was characterized as a functional endocytic receptor for glycosylated macromolecules, since the uptake of carbohydrate polymers was partially inhibited by the addition of MLD-1. The distribution of hMGL(+) cells in normal human skin was found by immunostaining to be mainly in the upper dermis distant from vascular structures. More than 90% of the hMGL(+) cells were double stained with anti-CD68 mAb and constituted approximately 20% of the CD68(+) cells. We suggest that the dermal hMGL(+) cells are a subset of differentiated cells derived from monocytes and that hMGL is a unique marker for cells at an intermediate stage of macrophage differentiation.
Higashi
Nobuaki
N
Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Molecular Immunology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
Morikawa
Akiko
A
Fujioka
Kouki
K
Fujita
Yuko
Y
Sano
Yoshihiko
Y
Miyata-Takeuchi
Megumi
M
Suzuki
Noriko
N
Irimura
Tatsuro
T
D000116:Acetylgalactosamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D005260:Female; D005690:Galactose / Q000378:metabolism*; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D037102:Lectins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D009000:Monocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D010641:Phenotype; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D037102:Lectins; D000116:Acetylgalactosamine; D005690:Galactose