Signaling properties of CR3 (CD11b/CD18) and CR1 (CD35) in relation to phagocytosis of complement-opsonized particles.

Human neutrophils preincubated with antibodies against complement receptor type 1 (CR1) (anti-CD35) and/or complement receptor type 3 (CR3) (anti-CD11b or anti-CD18) exhibited a reduced ability to engulf complement-opsonized yeast particles, whereas cellular adhesion of these particles was reduced only in the presence of anti-CD35 antibodies. These data support the idea that CR1 primarily promotes the adhesion of particles and CR3 mediates the subsequent engulfment. However, the effects of anti-CR1 and anti-CR3 antibodies on particle-induced diglyceride production correlate with the effects of these antibodies on the cellular uptake of the particles. Hence, it seems reasonable to suggest that CR1 also participates in mediating the signal(s) that induce particle uptake. This idea is further supported by the findings that cross-linking surface-bound anti-CD11b, anti-CD18 as well as anti-CD35 antibodies results in activation of phospholipase D (PLD), a signal closely associated with phagocytosis of complement-opsonized yeast particles in human neutrophils. The signaling property of CR1 was further revealed by the observation that cross-linking of surface-bound anti-CD35 triggered a rapid and transient mobilization of intracellular Ca2+, a signal most likely involved in the phagosome-lysosome fusion that occurs after the uptake of a particle. Pretreatment with PMA, which positively modulates CR-mediated engulfment of particles, was found to potentiate the CR3- and CR1-induced activation of PLD but impair the activation of phospholipase C, giving added support to the idea that PLD activation is the principal signal for the engulfment process. The activation of PLD was also increased by stimulating the cells with anti-CD18 or anti-CD35 antibodies prefixed on Staphylococcus aureus particles, instead of cross-linking cellular-bound antibodies, suggesting that the form of ligand presentation is a critical parameter of phagocytic signaling. Taken together, the present results demonstrate that both CR1 and CR3 can initiate transmembrane signaling in human neutrophils and, in particular, activation of PLD. This activation was also further recognized as an important signal regulating the engulfment of complement-opsonized particles.