Macrophage stimulation with some structurally related polysaccharides.

The macrophage-stimulating properties of some structurally related polysaccharides were studied in vitro. When the polysaccharides were presented to the macrophages in a sterically fixed form, i.e. as microparticles, they induced the release of interleukin 1 (IL-1) from the macrophages. Microparticulate 1.3-beta-glucan (curdlan) induced nonspecific macrophage mediated tumour cell killing while 1.4-alpha-glucan (starch), 1.6-alpha-glucan (dextran), and 1.6-alpha-mannan were without effect. The corresponding soluble polysaccharides did not stimulate the macrophages. Kinetic studies showed that although IL-1 was released immediately after stimulation, the macrophages needed a time lag of several days to develop tumour cytotoxicity. The development of cytotoxicity paralleled binding of tumour cells to the macrophages. Resident and inflammatory peritoneal macrophages showed differences in their responses to the polysaccharides. Stationary, resident peritoneal macrophages stimulated by macroparticles secreted high levels of IL-1 but expressed a low cytotoxic activity, while newly recruited inflammatory macrophages released lower levels of IL-1 but readily killed the tumour cells. The influence of cyclo-oxygenase products on the IL-1 release and macrophage cytotoxicity was also investigated. When cyclo-oxygenase was blocked with indomethacin, a significantly higher release of IL-1, and then an increased cytotoxicity, were obtained with 1.3-beta-glucan stimulated macrophages. The results suggest that microparticulate polysaccharides may be useful for studies on the induction of macrophage differentiation and also for studies on nonspecific cellular immune responses in vitro and in vivo.