Induction by heterologous fibrinogen of release of TNF-like cytotoxic factor from murine macrophages.

In an attempt to find nontoxic triggering agents to release cytotoxin from primed macrophages of mice, the abilities of eight plasma components to induce release of cytotoxin from J-774.1, a murine macrophage-like cell line, were examined. Heterologous, but not homologous, fibrinogen and fibrin were found to enhance the release of cytotoxin. The fibrinogen and fibrin did not contain any lipopolysaccharide (LPS) as tested with polymyxin B. Thus, heterologous fibrinogen and fibrin could be useful as nontoxic triggering agents.