Pivotal advance: The pattern recognition receptor ligands lipopolysaccharide and polyinosine-polycytidylic acid stimulate factor B synthesis by the macrophage through distinct but overlapping mechanisms

J Leukoc Biol. 2010 Oct;88(4):609-18. doi: 10.1189/jlb.0809588. Epub 2010 Apr 22.

Abstract

TLRs and complement are critical to the host response in sepsis, trauma, and ischemia/reperfusion. We hypothesize that TLR stimulation leads to synthesis and release of complement components by macrophages, an important source of extrahepatic complement. RAW264.7 macrophages or peritoneal macrophages from WT and TLR4-, TLR3-, TRIF-, or MyD88-deficient mice were cultured under standard conditions. In some experiments, cells were pretreated with inhibitors of MAPKs or a NF-κB inhibitor. Cells were stimulated with TLR ligands at known stimulatory concentrations. Intratracheal and i.p. injections were also performed in mice. RT-PCR, Western blotting, and immunocytochemistry were used for analysis. Using a RT-PCR-based panel, we demonstrate that of 18 complement components tested, factor B of the alternative pathway is the most robustly up-regulated complement component in macrophages in response to LPS. This up-regulation results in release of factor B into the media. Up-regulation of factor B by LPS is dependent on TLR4, TRIF, JNK, and NF-κB. A screen of other TLR ligands demonstrated that stimulation with poly I:C (dsRNA analog) also results in up-regulation of factor B, which is dependent on JNK and NF-κB but independent of TLR3 and TRIF. Up-regulation of factor B is also observed after intratracheal and i.p. injection of LPS or poly I:C in vivo. PRR stimulation profoundly influences production and release of factor B by macrophages. Understanding the mechanisms of PRR-mediated complement production may lead to strategies aimed at preventing tissue damage in diverse settings, including sepsis, trauma, and ischemia/reperfusion.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blotting, Western
  • Complement Factor B / biosynthesis*
  • Complement Factor B / immunology
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Interferon Inducers / immunology
  • Ligands
  • Lipopolysaccharides / immunology*
  • Macrophages / immunology*
  • Macrophages / metabolism
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Poly I-C / immunology*
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Signal Transduction / immunology*
  • Toll-Like Receptors / immunology*
  • Toll-Like Receptors / metabolism

Substances

  • Interferon Inducers
  • Ligands
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • Toll-Like Receptors
  • Complement Factor B
  • Poly I-C