Aspirin significantly decreases the nonopsonic phagocytosis and immunogenicity of macrophages in mice.
OBJECTIVE
The effect of acetylsalicyclic acid (ASA) on the phagocytosis and immunogenicity of macrophages remains to be determined.


METHODS
BALB/c mice and peritoneal macrophages were used.


METHODS
BALB/c mice were treated with ASA (0, 6, or 60 mg/kg/day) intraperitoneally for 1 week.


METHODS
Flow cytometry and phagocytosis assay were employed.


RESULTS
ASA significantly decreased cell numbers, nonopsonic phagocytosis, and immunogenicity as well as changing the phenotypes of peritoneal macrophages in vivo. After in vitro treatment with ASA, macrophages expressed low levels of MHC-II, CD80, and CD47 molecules, and showed significantly decreased phagocytosis. Importantly, ASA blocked the differentiation of macrophages from bone marrow cells in vitro as indicated by decreased macrophage cell numbers and phenotype alteration.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study provides basic information on the direct effect of ASA on macrophages, supporting the potential application of ASA in patients with allo-grafts or autoimmune diseases.
Transplantation Biology Research Division, State Key Laboratory of Biomembrane and Membrane Biotechnology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Datun Road, Beijing, 100101, China.
Aqeel
A
Javeed
Yuzhu
Y
Hou
Kaizhong
K
Duan
Baojun
B
Zhang
Hong
H
Shen
Yuhong
Y
Cao
Yong
Y
Zhao
D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001241:Aspirin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002645:Chickens; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000276:immunology; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D001241:Aspirin