title: Activin A down-regulates the phagocytosis of lipopolysaccharide-activated mouse peritoneal macrophages in vitro and in vivo.
abstract: Activin A is a multifunctional factor of the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) superfamily and acts as an anti-inflammatory cytokine produced by microglia and macrophages. In this study, we investigated the regulatory effect and possible mechanism of activin A on activation of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced mouse peritoneal macrophages. The results showed that activin A could decrease NO release in LPS-activated mouse peritoneal macrophages, and suppressed phagocytosis and pinocytosis of mouse peritoneal macrophages stimulated by LPS in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, activin A remarkably inhibited the expressions of CD14 and MHC II on LPS-induced mouse peritoneal macrophages, but had no significant effect on the expression of MHC I and the proliferation of mouse peritoneal macrophages. These findings suggest that activin A can down-regulate inflammatory mediator production and phagocytosis of LPS-activated macrophages via suppressing CD14 expression, and may influence the presentation of exogenous antigens via inhibiting MHC II expression. Thus, activin A might have the potential for treatment of macrophage-mediated inflammatory diseases through modulating both innate and adaptive immune responses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Norman Bethune College of Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, PR China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Guixiang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tai
authors.forename: Haiyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jingyan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.forename: Ye
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Fangfang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Zhonghui
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D028341:Activins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D005805:Genes, MHC Class I; D005802:Genes, MHC Class II; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors / Q000276:immunology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000502:physiology*; D010873:Pinocytosis / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D006680:HLA Antigens; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; C422405:activin A; D028341:Activins; D009569:Nitric Oxide