Biomedical subjects

M R Elstad

Publications and source records attributed to M R Elstad.

21 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1989

Platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase increases during macrophage differentiation. A novel mechanism that regulates accumulation of platelet-activating factor.

Monocytes and macrophages produce bioactive lipids, such as platelet-activating factor (1-O-alkyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, PAF), that mediate inflammation. These cells synthesize PAF following their activation, but not constitutively. Previous studies have demonstrated that PAF accumulation is regulated by the activity of the synthetic enzymes. We observed that the accumulation of PAF in stimulated human monocytes decreased by 90% as they differentiated into macrophages. There was no decrease in the activities of the synthetic enzymes; however, the activity of the degradative enzyme, PAF acetylhydrolase, increased 260-fold. The increase in PAF acetylhydrolase activity appeared to result from a net increase in the synthesis of a new enzyme. These studies demonstrate a novel mechanism in which an increase of the degradative enzyme regulates the accumulation of PAF. This may be an important mechanism by which macrophages modulate inflammatory responses.

1-Alkyl-2-acetylglycerophosphocholine Esterase↗

PubMed1988

Synthesis and release of platelet-activating factor by stimulated human mononuclear phagocytes.

Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is a potent phospholipid mediator that may participate in inflammatory responses by virtue of its ability to activate platelets, leukocytes, and vascular cells. We examined the synthesis and release of PAF by human peripheral blood monocytes (PBM) isolated by countercurrent elutriation. PAF was produced after stimulation by calcium ionophore A23187 (IoA), opsonized zymosan (OpsZ), and PMA with a relative order of potency IoA much greater than OpsZ greater than PMA. The portion of PAF subsequently released from the cell was dependent on the specific agonist, the time of incubation, and the presence of albumin. Under optimal conditions, PBM released 67, 49 and 32% of the total PAF produced in response to IoA, OpsZ, and PMA, respectively. Changes in PAF metabolism were observed in PBM that were examined after short term adherence or differentiation into macrophages. Adherent PBM accumulated and released less PAF than suspended monocytes, and monocyte-derived macrophages produced less PAF than the parent PBM. The ability of monocytes to release significant amounts of newly synthesized PAF from the cell is unusual among human cell types, which in general retain the vast majority of the lipid, and may be of particular pathophysiologic importance.

Calcimycin↗

PubMed1988

Vitronectin (S protein) augments the functional activity of monocyte receptors for IgG and complement C3b.

An arginine-glycine-aspartic acid sequence (RGD in the single letter code for amino acids) is present in the cell attachment site of both vitronectin and fibronectin. Inasmuch as fibronectin and synthetic peptides containing RGD enhance ingestion of opsonized particles by monocytes, we investigated the effects of vitronectin on phagocytosis by monocytes of sheep erythrocytes bearing IgG (EA) or complement C3b (EC3b). Peripheral blood monocytes were isolated by countercurrent elutriation and allowed to adhere to slides that had been coated with either vitronectin or fibronectin. Next, EA or EC3b were incubated with the adherent monocytes, and phagocytosis was subsequently quantified. Vitronectin caused the same dose dependent increase in phagocytosis as fibronectin. The augmentation of phagocytosis of EA induced by vitronectin could be inhibited by the F(ab')2 fragments of anti-vitronectin IgG but not by preimmune F(ab')2. The maximum phagocytosis of EA induced by vitronectin could not be enhanced by the addition of fibronectin, suggesting that vitronectin and fibronectin act on the same population of monocytes and that the two proteins stimulate the same mechanism through which the enhanced phagocytosis is mediated. Fibronectin and vitronectin caused a tenfold increase in the attachment of EC3b to monocytes, but phagocytosis was augmented minimally. These studies demonstrate that vitronectin modulates interactions between monocytes and opsonized particles.

Complement C3b↗