Macrophages stimulated by receptor-ligand interactions exhibit differences in cell-cycle kinetics during tumor growth: stimulation at Mac-1 and Mac-3 receptors alters DNA synthesis

Distribution of cells immunopositive for AM-3K, a novel monoclonal antibody recognizing human macrophages, in normal and diseased tissues of dogs, cats, horses, cattle, pigs, and rabbits

The monoclonal antibody AM-3K, which was developed using human pulmonary macrophages as the immunogen, immunocytochemically labels most human macrophages except for blood monocytes and dendritic cell populations. AM-3K also shows cross-reactivity in some animal species. To evaluate the usefulness of AM-3K, the present study investigated the detailed distribution of AM-3K-immunopositive macrophages in normal and diseased tissues of dogs, cats, horses, cattle, pigs, and rabbits. Zamboni's solution-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections were the most available for the immunocytochemistry with AM-3K. In all animal species examined, AM-3K labeled most macrophages in splenic red pulp, lymph node sinuses and thymus, and tissue macrophages in the interstitium of various organs and sites such as the kidneys, lungs, heart, pancreas, intestines, and skin. Alveolar macrophages and perivascular microglial cells were also immunoreactive for AM-3K. Interestingly, Kupffer cells of dogs, cats, and horses were labeled for AM-3K, but those of cattle, pigs, and rabbits were not. Furthermore, in tumor tissues and inflammatory lesions such as liver fibrosis and encephalomalacia that were obtained from dogs, infiltrating macrophages were stained with AM-3K, but not all infiltrating macrophages reacted to AM-3K. In addition, only 30-50% of pulmonary and peritoneal macrophages obtained from cats and dogs were reactive for AM-3K. AM-3K did not react with blood monocytes, dendritic cell populations, and osteoclasts. These observations indicate that AM-3K specifically labels most exudate and tissue macrophages in the animal species examined. However, the expression of antigens recognized by AM-3K on macrophages may be dependent on differential maturation stages or different functions evoked by some conditions. AM-3K immunoreaction products were seen on the cytoplasmic membrane of macrophages by immunoelectron microscopy. AM-3K would be useful for detection of macrophage populations in the animal species examined here.

Macrophage priming and activation during fibrosarcoma growth: expression of c-myb, c-myc, c-fos, and c-fms

Macrophages (M phi)3 function by a two-step process that includes priming (induction of cytokine and enzyme mRNA) and activation (production of effector molecules). The initial steps in M phi priming involve the expression of certain proto-oncogenes that regulate expression of other genes. Because tumor growth primes M phi to produce several suppressor monokines, we determined if cancer induced M phi expression of these proto-oncogenes. Unstimulated peritoneal M phi from tumor-bearing hosts (TBH) constitutively expressed the proto-oncogenes c-fms, c-fos, c-myc, and c-myb, whereas normal host (NH) M phi had little or no expression of these proto-oncogenes. When M phi were given a 24-h adherence priming stimulus, NH M phi expressed c-fms and c-fos at levels equivalent to TBH M phi constitutive expression. Adherence had little or no effect on c-fms and c-fos expression in TBH M phi or on NH and TBH M phi c-myc expression. c-myb expression was not induced in NH M phi during adherence and was strongly decreased in TBH M phi. Activation with a 1-h lipopolysaccharide-treatment increased NH and TBH M phi expression of c-fms, c-fos, and c-myc, with higher expression of these proto-oncogenes in TBH M phi. Activation failed to induce c-myb expression in NH M phi and completely inhibited expression in TBH M phi. Because c-fms, c-fos, and c-myc are normally expressed early during M phi activation, our results suggest that tumor growth primes M phi by inducing expression of these proto-oncogenes. c-myb is expressed in immature M phi and is downregulated during M phi activation. These observations explain why NH M phi expression of c-myb was not induced and are consistent with reports that suggest TBH M phi have not reached full developmental maturity. The induction of M phi proto-oncogene expression during cancer may put M phi in a primed state, which leads to earlier and stronger production of adverse suppressor and cytotoxic molecules.

Tumor growth and adherence change the expression of macrophage Mac-2

The galactose-specific animal lectin, Mac-2, has been identified in macrophage (M phi) membrane, cytoplasmic, and nuclear fractions. Flow cytometric analyses showed that there is a decrease in membrane Mac-2 during tumor growth. After 24-h adherence there was an increase in the number of normal host (NH) and tumor-bearing host (TBH) Mac-2+ M phi. Immunoblot analyses of NH and TBH M phi identified changes in the subcellular localization of Mac-2. The increase in nuclear Mac-2 during tumor growth, and after prolonged adherence of NH and TBH M phi, correlates with an increase in M phi entering the late G1 phases of the cell cycle. Northern blot analyses showed an increase in Mac-2 mRNA during tumor growth, and an increase in NH and TBH M phi after 24-h adherence. Tumor growth is able to manipulate the immune system through M phi by causing a down-regulation in membrane Mac-2 and an up-regulation in intracellular Mac-2. NH and TBH M phi respond to adherence by expressing increased membrane and nuclear Mac-2, but TBH M phi response is lower.