Cultured bovine monocytes exhibit decreased release of superoxide anion and increased levels of lysosomal enzymes but do not secrete detectable lysozyme activity.

In this study we determined the effects of in vitro maturation on the phagocytic activity, lysosomal enzyme content and oxidative response of bovine monocytes. Intracellular levels of the lysosomal enzymes acid phosphatase, beta glucuronidase, and beta glucosaminidase increased as bovine monocytes matured in vitro. However, in marked contrast to the mononuclear phagocytes of other mammalian species, lysozyme activity was undetectable in the culture supernatants and cell lysates of adherent bovine blood monocytes cultured for one to fifteen days. In vitro maturation of bovine monocytes also increased their phagocytic activity as determined by the ingestion of opsonized yeast. A greater percentage of monocyte-derived macrophages that were stimulated with opsonized yeast and phorbol myristic acetate (PMA) reduced nitroblue tetrazolium than did similarly treated monocytes. Monocyte-derived macrophages stimulated with PMA released significantly less superoxide anion than did PMA-stimulated monocytes. Bovine monocytes and macrophages also failed to bind the monoclonal antibody Mac-1, which binds to human and mouse macrophages. Bovine monocytes demonstrated both similarities and differences with other mammalian mononuclear phagocytes, thus making them a useful model for further study of the comparative and developmental biology of mononuclear phagocytes.