Expression of p47-phox and p67-phox proteins in murine bone marrow-derived macrophages: enhancement by lipopolysaccharide and tumor necrosis factor alpha but not colony stimulating factor 1.

We have investigated the relationship between the expression of the p47-phox and p67-phox cytosolic components of the NADPH oxidase and priming of the macrophage respiratory burst. Western blot analysis revealed that murine bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMM) contain immunoreactive proteins detected by antisera raised against recombinant human p47-phox and p67-phox. Priming BMM by exposure to tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) increased the levels of p47-phox and p67-phox. Colony-stimulating factor 1 (CSF-1), which we previously found to have a negative effect on the priming of murine macrophages, had no effect on the level of p47-phox but down-regulated that of p67-phox. Our results suggest that the regulatory effects of LPS, TNF-alpha, and CSF-1 on the respiratory burst of BMM may be due to modulation of the expression of the p47-phox and p67-phox cytosolic components of the NADPH oxidase.