Bactericidal Activity of Human Macrophages: Analysis of Factors Influencing the Killing of Listeria monocytogenes.

A technique is described for the measurement of listericidal activity of human macrophages grown from blood monocytes. Phagocytosis of Listeria monocytogenes was inhibited by a glycolytic poison (NaF) but was unaffected by anaerobic conditions, cyanide, or 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP). Killing by macrophages was slower than that by neutrophils, and Listeria phagocytized by macrophages began to synthesize deoxyribonucleic acid within 3 hr of the time of ingestion. Differentiated macrophages ingested and killed more organisms per cell than newly isolated monocytes. Maximal killing of Listeria required oxygen but was unaffected by cyanide or DNP. Macrophages isolated from patients with chronic intracellular infection (leprosy, tuberculosis, fungal diseases) and from patients with active Hodgkin's disease were more bactericidal than macrophages from normal subjects.