Simultaneous production of IFN-gamma, IFN-alpha/beta and nitric oxide in peritoneal macrophages from TDM-treated mice

• Published in: Journal of biological regulators and homeostatic agents Vol. 12; no. 4; p. 106
• Main Authors: Guillemard, E, Geniteau-Legendre, M, Kergot, R, Lemaire, G, Gessani, S, Labarre, C, Quero, A M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Italy 01.10.1998
• Subjects: Animals; Cells, Cultured; Cord Factors - pharmacology; Female; Interferon-alpha - biosynthesis; Interferon-beta - biosynthesis; Interferon-gamma - biosynthesis; Macrophages, Peritoneal - metabolism; Mice; Nitric Oxide - biosynthesis; Rats
• ISSN: 0393-974X

Peritoneal macrophages (PM) were isolated from mice treated with Dimycolate of Trehalose (TDM), a glycolipid extracted from the cell wall of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. PM from TDM-treated mice (TDM-PM) were shown to secrete consistent amount of IFN-gamma, which was not detectable in control Resident-PM (Res-PM), as revealed by ELISA. In addition, biologically active IFN was detected in the supernatants of TDM-PM, whereas no IFN production was found in those of control Res-PM. The addition of specific antisera to PM cultures revealed the simultaneous production of both type I and II IFNs in TDM-PM cultures. No reciprocal regulation in the production of IFN-gamma and IFN-alpha/beta was found in these cultures. In parallel, nitric oxide (NO) production was measured in TDM-PM cultures by detecting nitrites (NO2-). TDM-PM cultures accumulated high amounts of NO2- which decreased to the level of Res-PM in the presence of NMMA, an inhibitor of NO-synthases. In vitro, neither type I nor type II IFNs were involved in the stimulation of NO production. The capacity of macrophages to simultaneously secrete IFN-gamma, IFN-alpha/beta and NO upon in vivo TDM-treatment could be of particular relevance for the defense process of innate immunity in which macrophages play a crucial role.