In vitro activation of murine peritoneal macrophages by ultraviolet B radiation: upregulation of CD18, production of NO, proinflammatory cytokines and a signal transduction pathway.

In the present study, we report the activation of murine peritoneal macrophages in vitro on irradiation with sublethal dose of UVB (50 mJ/cm(2)). The activation involves enhanced expression of CD18 molecule and production of nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-1 (IL-1). Production of NO, TNF-alpha and IL-1 by the macrophages on UVB irradiation was found to peak at 24 h of incubation post UVB irradiation. Increased iNOS, TNF-alpha and IL-1beta mRNAs expression was also observed by reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The RT-PCR results also showed the increased transcription of IL-6, IL-12, TLR2 and TLR4 genes in UVB-irradiated macrophages. Increased expression of phospho-IkappaB was also observed by immunoblotting in UVB-irradiated macrophages. Investigating the signal transduction pathway responsible for the NO, TNF-alpha and IL-1 production by the UVB-irradiated macrophages, it was observed that the pharmacological inhibitors pertussis toxin, wortmannin, PD98059, SB202190 and genistein blocked NO, TNF-alpha and IL-1 production suggesting the probable involvement of G-proteins, phosphoinositol-3-kinase, p42/44, p38 mitogen activated protein kinases and tyrosine kinases in the above process.