Phagocytosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis or particulate stimuli by human monocytic cells induces equivalent monocyte chemotactic protein-1 gene expression.

Phagocytosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by human monocytes or macrophages is classically followed by granuloma formation in vivo. Granuloma are comprised of cells of the monocyte lineage together, in many instances, with antigen-specific T lymphocytes. Development of granuloma depends upon recruitment of both cell types, but recruitment of monocytes is pivotal as these cells secrete anti-mycobacterial cytokines and IL-8, a T cell chemoattractant. We have therefore investigated gene regulation of Monocyte Chemotactic Protein 1 (MCP-1), an important monocyte chemotactic cytokine, following phagocytosis of particulate material (latex beads and zymosan) and live M. tuberculosis by two human monocytic cell lines. In THP-1 cells and phenotypically more differentiated Mono Mac 6 cells, MCP-1 mRNA accumulation was first detectable by Northern analysis of 4 hours and increased over 24 hours. Magnitude and kinetics of MCP-1 gene expression was independent of the biochemical nature of the phagocytic stimulus, M. tuberculosis strain virulence or pre-treatment with anti-TNF. In contrast to the uniform effect of different phagocytic stimuli on MCP-1 gene expression, we have shown that M. tuberculosis but not latex or zymosan, increased IL-8 gene expression, a chemotactic agent for T cells. In additional experiments with THP-1 cells infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), viral infection did not alter MCP-1 gene expression following phagocytosis. MCP-1 gene expression appears to be a conserved antigen-independent response of human monocytic cells which is activated following particulate phagocytosis. MCP-1 gene expression may thus be involved in recruitment of monocytes during granuloma formation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)