Original Articles
Copyright ©The Author(s) 1998. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Apr 15, 1998; 4(2): 137-139
Published online Apr 15, 1998. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v4.i2.137
Regulatory effects of lipopolysaccharide in murine macrophage proliferation
Kai Fan
Kai Fan, Institute of Viral Hepatitis, Chongqing University of Medical Sciences, Chongqing 630010, Sichuan Province, China
Kai Fan, male, born on 1963-11-28 in Quxian City, Sichuan Province, graduated from Peking Union Medical College as M.D. in 1989, postdoctoral fellow, specializing in hematopoietic oncology and hepatology, having 11 papers published.
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Dr. Kai Fan, Institute of Viral Hepatitis, Chongqing University of Medical Sciences, Chongqing 630010, Sichuan Province, China
Telephone: +86·811·3825854 Fax: +86·811·3831332
Received: September 12, 1997
Revised: January 22, 1998
Accepted: March 15, 1998
Published online: April 15, 1998
Abstract

AIMS: To study the regulatory effects of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in murine macrophage proliferation.

METHODS: Using murine peritoneal exudate macrophage (PEM) and macrophage cell line J774A.1 as targets, LPS effects on M-CSF and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) stimulated macrophage colony-forming cells (CFU-M) were detected. 125I-GM-CSF receptor binding assay was used to examine LPS regulation on GM-CSF receptor expression. RT-PCR was employed to test TGF-β1 inhibition on IFN-γ mRNA expression on macrophage induced by LPS.

RESULTS: Without direct effect on macrophage proliferation, LPS could inhibit the macrophage proliferation stimulated by GM-CSF. However, with the concomitant existence of GM-CSF and TGF-β1, the LPS inhibitory effect was eliminated. RT-PCR analysis indicated that the strongest macrophage growth inhibitory factor IFN-γ mRNA expression in macrophage induced by LPS was remarkably sup-pressed by TGF-β1, 125I-GM-CSF receptor binding assay showed that LPS could enhance GM-CSF receptor expression likewise as TGF-β1.

CONCLUSIONS: LPS is involved in the network of macrophage proliferative regulation by multiple cytokines, displaying inhibitory and stimulatory effects based on the coexisting cytokines.

Keywords: lipopolysaccharide; macrophage; granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor; transforming growth factor beta; interferon-γ; polymerase chain reaction; cytokines; RNA, messenger