We have investigated responses of human monocyte/macrophage cells to extracellular ATP (ATPe). Freshly isolated peripheral blood monocytes showed responses linked to P2Y but not P2Z purinergic receptors; however, during in vitro macrophage differentiation, these cells also exhibited responses suggestive of the presence of the membrane-permeabilizing P2Z receptor. In fact, in human macrophages a brief (15-min) exposure to ATPe, but not other nucleotides, caused (1) a rapid and long-lasting plasma membrane depolarization; (2) a large increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration followed by efflux of the Ca2+ indicator; (3) uptake of low molecular weight hydrophilic molecules such as Lucifer yellow and ethidium bromide; and (4) cell rounding, swelling, and eventual release of the cytoplasmic enzyme lactate dehydrogenase. rIFN-gamma enhanced both membrane-permeabilizing and cytotoxic ATPe effects. Membrane permeabilization and cytotoxicity were fully blocked by pretreatment of the cells with oxidized ATP, a compound recently shown to block P2Z receptors covalently in macrophages. Blocking of the P2Z receptor by oxidized ATP also inhibited multinucleated giant cell generation stimulated by concanavalin A or rIFN-gamma without decreasing monocyte migration or membrane adhesion molecule expression. These data suggest that human macrophages express rIFN-gamma-modulated purinergic P2Z receptors in vitro and hint at a role for these plasma membrane molecules in the generation of macrophage polykarions.
S Falzoni, M Munerati, D Ferrari, S Spisani, S Moretti, F Di Virgilio
The Editorial Board will only consider comments that are deemed relevant and of interest to readers. The Journal will not post data that have not been subjected to peer review; or a comment that is essentially a reiteration of another comment.