Investigations into the membrane associated IL-1 like activity on mouse macrophages.

The present study was undertaken to investigate the expression of membrane IL-1 (mIL-1) in mouse macrophages. Membrane IL-1 activity was measured on paraformaldehyde fixed peritoneal macrophages using EL4 6.1 lymphocyte cell line. Acid washing prior to fixation did not remove the mIL-1 activity, indicating that mIL-1 is an integral part of the membrane. Adherence to tissue culture plastic plates was found to be a potent inducer of mIL-1 activity in both resident and C. parvum activated macrophages. Dexamethasone reduced mIL-1 activity induced in vivo by C. parvum and also that induced by adherence in vitro.