The effect of phorbol myristate acetate on the metabolism and ultrastructure of human alveolar macrophages.

In the present investigation we examined the influence of the surface-active agent phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) and opsonized heat-killed bacteria (HKB) on oxygen consumption, superoxide release, and glucose oxidation of human alveolar macrophages (AM). Both PMA and HKB produced a surge in oxygen consumption, superoxide release, and oxidation of 1-14C-glucose and 6-14C-glucose by human AM. Examination of AM by electron microscopy following stimulation by these two agents demonstrated membrane ruffling, loss of microvilli, and increased vacuolization in PMA-treated cells and phagocytic vacuoles containing bacteria in HKB-treated cells. The vacuolization produced by PMA-treated AM was much less striking than the vacuolization produced in PMA-treated leukocytes. The similarity in the metabolic and some of the physical responses of AM stimulated by PMA and HKB suggest that PMA may be a useful agent for evaluating cell-membrane-related events of phagocytosis in AM.