Abstract
Activin A, a multifunctional factor of the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) superfamily, is mainly produced by microglia and macrophages, and its anti-inflammatory and pro-inflammatory activities are both related to macrophage functions. However the direct effect of activin A on the rest macrophages in vivo remains unclear. In the present study, the results showed that activin A not only increased NO and IL-1β release, but also promoted phagocytic abilities of mouse peritoneal macrophages in vitro and in vivo, whereas it did not influence MHC I and MHC II expression. Moreover, we found that activin A significantly upregulated the expressions of CD14 and CD68, markers of mature macrophages, on the surface of macrophages in vitro and in vivo. These data suggest that activin A can induce primary macrophage maturation in vitro and in vivo, but may not trigger the acquired immune response via regulating expression of MHC molecules involved in presentation of antigen.
Keywords: activin A, macrophage, maturation, CD68, CD14
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Glossary
- TGF-β
transforming growth factor β
- NO
nitric oxide
- IL-1β
interleukin 1β
- FITC
fluorescein isothiocyanate
- ELISA
enzymelinked immunosorbent assay