Effect of glomerular cells interaction with macrophages on surface 5'-nucleotidase activity.

Interaction of cultured rat mesangial cells with macrophages induces a marked increase in surface 5'-nucleotidase activity of these mesangial cells. A significant increase in surface 5'-nucleotidase was also observed upon interaction of rat fibroblast with macrophages, both in cocultures and after treatment of fibroblasts with macrophage conditioned medium. Interaction of glomerular epithelial cells in primary culture with macrophages had no effect on surface 5'-nucleotidase activity. No significant effect on enzyme activity was observed after interaction of mesangial-epithelial cells, mesangial cells-fibroblasts, and epithelial cells-fibroblasts.