Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Lung macrophage uptake of unopsonized environmental particulates: Role of scavenger-type receptors

Journal Article · · Journal of Immunology
OSTI ID:91150
 [1]
  1. Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA (United States)

The receptors responsible for avid alveolar macrophage (AM) phagocytosis of unopsonized environmental particulates have not been well defined. This study used flow cytometry to quantitate the effects of a panel of soluble ligands for macrophage adhesion receptors on AM binding of unopsonized environmental dusts (titanium dioxide, TiO{sub 2}; iron oxide, Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}; {alpha}-quartz, SiO{sub 2}; diesel engine exhaust dust) or fluorescent latex beads. Polyanionic ligands of the macrophage scavenger receptor (SR) for acetylated-LDL caused marked inhibition of AM binding of the oxide particles and latex beads (e.g., TiO{sub 2} binding; polyinosinic acid (polyl), 10 {mu}g/ml: 70.2 {+-} 1.5% inhibition, mean {+-} SE, n = 11). In contrast, no inhibition was seen with the polyanions heparin and chondroitin sulfate (chond-S), or dextran, consistent with the known inhibitor profile of macrophage SRs for acetylated-LDL. AM uptake of latex or SiO{sub 2} beads instilled into lungs of hamsters was inhibited by administration of polyl but not chondroitin sulfate (AM beads per cell: control, 6.1 {+-} 0.7; polyl, 3.5 {+-} 0.2; chond-S, 5.1 {+-} 0.7, n {ge} 4, p < 0.05 for control vs polyl) indicating macrophage SRs operate in vivo as well as in vitro. In contrast, AM binding of the carbonaceous diesel dust particles was not inhibited by any ligand tested. AM uptake of unopsonized TiO{sub 2}, SR ligands or acetylated LDL caused no significant activation of AM respiratory burst or TNF production, consistent with past observations that opsonin-independent phagocytosis of inert particles by normal AMs is not accompanied by pro-inflammatory activation. These data implicate macrophage-type SRs in AM binding of charged environmental particles and indicate that distinct mechanisms mediate binding of carbonaceous dusts. 54 refs., 7 figs., 4 tabs.

OSTI ID:
91150
Journal Information:
Journal of Immunology, Journal Name: Journal of Immunology Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 155; ISSN 0022-1767; ISSN JOIMA3
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Influence of cadmium on isolated peritoneal macrophage populations: cadmium inhibits Fc receptor internalization
Thesis/Dissertation · Mon Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1984 · OSTI ID:6105368

Characterization of alveolar macrophage receptors involved in opsonin independent phagocytosis
Conference · Tue Mar 04 23:00:00 EST 1986 · Fed. Proc., Fed. Am. Soc. Exp. Biol.; (United States) · OSTI ID:6999959

Phagocytosis of aggregated lipoprotein by macrophages: Low density lipoprotein receptor-dependent foam-cell formation
Journal Article · Fri Mar 31 23:00:00 EST 1989 · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America; (USA) · OSTI ID:5443211