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The Journal of Immunology, 2001, 167: 3996-4007.
Copyright © 2001 by The American Association of Immunologists

Cross-Linking of Human Fc{gamma}RIIIb Induces the Production of Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor and Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor by Polymorphonuclear Neutrophils

Véronique Durand1, Yves Renaudineau1, Jacques-Olivier Pers, Pierre Youinou2 and Christophe Jamin

Laboratory of Immunology, Institut de Synergie des Sciences et de la Santé, Brest University Medical School, Brest, France


    Abstract
 Top
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Materials and Methods
 Results
 Discussion
 References
 
We have reported that human autoantibodies reacting with the polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN)-anchored Fc{gamma}RIIIb (CD16) protect these cells from spontaneous apoptosis. In this study, we used anti-CD16 F(ab')2 to delineate the mechanism(s) whereby the PMN life span is extended. As documented using four methods, CD16 cross-linking impeded spontaneous apoptosis, whereas anti-CD18 F(ab')2 exerted no effect. Incubation of PMNs with anti-CD16 prevented the up-regulation of {beta}2 integrins, particularly CD11b, which is the {alpha}-chain of complement receptor type 3, but also CD18, which is its {beta}-chain, as well as CD11a and CD11c. Anti-CD16-conditioned supernatant of PMNs diminished the percentage of annexin V-binding fresh PMNs after another 18 h in culture, whereas the negative control anti-CD18 had no effect. The expression of mRNA for G-CSF and GM-CSF was induced by anti-CD16, followed by the release of G-CSF and GM-CSF in a dose-dependent manner. Anti-G-CSF and anti-GM-CSF mAbs abrogated the antiapoptotic effect of the related growth factors. The delay in apoptosis was accompanied by a down-regulated expression of Bax, and a partial reduction of caspase-3 activity. These data suggest an autocrine involvement of anti-CD16-induced survival factors in the rescue of PMNs from spontaneous apoptosis. Thus, apoptosis of aged PMNs can be modulated by signaling through Fc{gamma}RIIIb, which may occur in patients with PMN-binding anti-Fc{gamma}RIIIb autoantibodies.


    Introduction
 Top
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Materials and Methods
 Results
 Discussion
 References
 
The short lifetime of circulating polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN)3 is determined by programmed cell death (PCD), also referred to as apoptosis. This inescapable event sets off a swift uptake of aged PMNs by scavenger cells to prevent the release of histotoxic products into the extracellular milieu (1). In diseased sites, removal of apoptotic PMNs helps contain the inflammatory process, and thereby limit tissue damage (2). However, PMN longevity can be modulated by a variety of agents, most notably cytokines (reviewed in Ref. 3). For example, PCD is promoted by TNF-{alpha} (4) and IL-6 (5), but delayed by IL-1{beta}, G-CSF, GM-CSF, IFN-{gamma} (6), and IL-8 (7). Regarding the intracellular pathways involved in spontaneous apoptotic mechanism, the inhibitory effect of Bcl-2 remains uncertain in PMNs (8), although the balance between Bax (9) and Bcl-xL has been shown to regulate the machinery governing the activity of caspase-3 in these cells (10).

The low affinity receptors for the Fc region of IgG, Fc{gamma}RIIIb (CD16), and Fc{gamma}RIIa (CD32) are naturally expressed in PMNs, unlike the high affinity receptor Fc{gamma}RI (CD64), in which the synthesis may be induced by IFN-{gamma} (reviewed in Ref. 11). Autoantibodies directed against CD16 have been described in autoimmune mice (12) and patients (13). In addition, on the basis of subsequent results obtained by indirect immunofluorescence and ELISA tests, we have identified three populations of anti-CD16 autoantibodies, recognizing either PMN-bound CD16, soluble CD16, or both (14). PMN-binding Fc{gamma}RIIIb autoantibodies might possibly be implicated in the fate of PMNs. This concept is supported by our preliminary results that show that, among anti-CD16 autoantibodies, some with specificity for PMN-bound Fc{gamma}RIIIb have the capacity to rescue senescent PMNs from spontaneous apoptosis (15). Intriguingly, soluble Fc{gamma}RIIIb produces a similar effect (16). These observations imply that CD16 may perpetuate inflammation, following autoantibody cross-linking, through the production of PMN-derived cytokines (reviewed in Ref. 17). However, relatively little is known about the induction and the mechanism(s) of such processes. Although Fc{gamma}RIIIb is GPI anchored to the cell membrane (18), several groups have established surprisingly that it can transduce signals by itself (19, 20, 21). In contrast, others have stated that Fc{gamma}RIIIb must cooperate with one or several neighboring transmembrane partners. This latter view is strengthened by the demonstration that Fc{gamma}RIIIb works in concert with Fc{gamma}RIIa to activate PMNs (22, 23, 24). Alternatively, Fc{gamma}RIIIb can interact with {beta}2 integrins, most notably complement receptor (CR) type 3, as indicated by cocapping experiments (25). This major adhesion molecule of PMNs (26) is formed by an {alpha}-chain (CD11b) noncovalently linked to a {beta}-chain (Mac-1, CD18), which is shared by other integrins, CD11a/CD18 (LFA-1), CD11c/CD18 (CR4), and CD11d/CD18. One practical problem is that a proportion of anti-Fc{gamma}RIIIb autoantibody-containing sera is not uniquely specific for Fc{gamma}RIIIb, inasmuch as autoantibodies from some of them react with Fc{gamma}RIIIb, but also Fc{gamma}RII and/or Fc{gamma}RI (27). Therefore, it remains unclear whether Fc{gamma}RIIIb autoantibody-containing sera inhibit PMN apoptosis either through Fc{gamma}RIIIb cross-linking alone, through Fc{gamma}RII ligation alone, or through collaboration between these two Fc{gamma}R.

In the present study, we have used anti-CD16 mAb F(ab')2 to eliminate several artifacts, e.g., one population of autoantibodies cross-reacting with CD16 and CD32, or the coexistence in a given serum of one group of anti-CD16 autoantibodies and a second of anti-CD32 autoantibodies. We confirm that cross-linking of CD16 retards apoptosis of PMNs, and show that the proportion of CD11bdim PMNs is increased, relative to aged PMNs. The key mechanism of the sustained longevity of PMNs seems to be the CD16-induced production of cytokines. For the first time, we provide evidence for the anti-CD16 Ab-triggered transcription of mRNA for G-CSF and GM-CSF, followed by the synthesis and resulting release of these cytokines. Such a contention was confirmed by the blocking effect of anti-G-CSF and anti-GM-CSF mAbs. Another consequence of the CD16 stimulation was the lowered level of Bax (a proapoptotic member of the Bcl-eg2 family), and the subsequent reduction in the caspase-3 activity. Thus, a resolution of the inflammation might, at least in part, be modulated by CD16.


    Materials and Methods
 Top
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Materials and Methods
 Results
 Discussion
 References
 
Abs

FITC mAbs to CD16 (clone 3G8), CD11b (clone Bear 1), CD4 (clone 13B8.2), CD8 (clone B9.11), CD15 (clone 80H5), CD18 (clone 7E4), CD19 (clone J4.119), CD23 (clone 9P25), CD32 (clone 2E1), CD35 (clone J3.D3), CD45 (clone J33), CD48 (clone J4-57), CD56 (clone N901), CD64 (clone 22), CD66b (clone 80H3), and to monomorphic determinants in HLA class I molecules (clone B9.12.1); PE mAbs to CD11a (clone 25.3.1), CD11b (clone Bear 1), CD11c (clone BU-15), and CD18, as well as unconjugated mAbs to CD16, CD11b (clone Bear 1), HLA-I, CD3 (clone UCHT1), CD4, CD8, CD18, CD19, CD23, CD56, and CD64 were all obtained from Beckman Coulter (Villepinte, France). FITC mAb to CD53 (clone MEM 53) was purchased from Interchim (Montluçon, France), and FITC mAbs to CD55 (clone BRIC 110) and to CD59 (clone MEM-43) from Serotec (Oxford, U.K.). Additional PE anti-CD11b mAbs, clones 44 and 2LPM19c, were obtained from BD PharMingen (San Diego, CA) and Dakopatts (Glostrup, Denmark), respectively. FITC anti-CD62 ligand (CD62L) (clone TQ1) mAb, FITC and PE IgG1, IgG2a, and IgM isotype controls were purchased from Beckman Coulter. FITC-labeled and unconjugated sheep F(ab')2 anti-mouse IgG F(ab')2 were purchased from Jackson ImmunoResearch Laboratories (West Grove, PA). Rabbit polyclonal anti-Bax F(ab')2 was obtained from Santa Cruz Biotechnology (Santa Cruz, CA), and revealed by FITC goat F(ab')2 anti-rabbit F(ab')2 (Sigma, St. Louis, MO). Unconjugated anti-TNF-{alpha}, anti-G-CSF, and anti-GM-CSF goat polyclonal Abs were obtained from R&D Systems (Minneapolis, MN). Anti-CD16, anti-CD18, anti-HLA-I, and anti-CD11b F(ab')2 were prepared by pepsin digestion.

Cell preparation

Blood samples were drawn from healthy nonsmoking volunteers into heparinized Vacutainer tubes (BD Biosciences, Franklin Lakes, NJ). Five-milliliter aliquots were collected to study unmanipulated cells. These were immediately cooled to 4°C, washed three times in 125 mM NaCl, 10 mM phosphate, 5 mM KCl, 5 mM glucose, 1.09 mM CaCl2 and 1.62 mM MgCl2, pH 7.35, and resuspended to the original volume. PMNs were isolated from the rest of the blood samples by Dextran T500 (Pharmacia, Uppsala, Sweden) sedimentation, followed by Ficoll-Hypaque density gradient centrifugation (Eurobio, Les Ulis, France). Residual erythrocytes were lysed with hypotonic buffer. To reduce macrophage (M{phi}), eosinophil, T, B, and NK cell contamination below 1% (28), the cell suspension was incubated for 20 min in the presence of a mixture of anti-CD3, anti-CD4, anti-CD8, anti-CD19, anti-CD23, anti-CD56, and anti-CD64 mAbs. After three washes in PBS supplemented with 5% BSA, a negative selection was performed using goat anti-mouse Ig Ab-coated magnetic microbeads (BioAdvance, Emerainville, France).

M{phi} were prepared from 100 ml of blood obtained from the same donors as the PMNs. PBMCs were allowed to adhere to polystyrene for 2 h at 37°C. Nonadherent cells were washed away, whereas the M{phi} were harvested with 0.05% trypsin/0.02% EDTA, washed three times, and cultured for another 4 h in the absence or the presence of 500 pg/ml IL-1{beta} (Genzyme, Cambridge, MA). B cells from a patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia were also purified by negative selection with magnetic beads, following treatment of the PBL with a mixture of mAbs, as described above.

Cell culture

To cross-link mAb binding to PMNs, 96-well microtiter plates were coated with 30 µg/ml sheep F(ab')2 anti-mouse F(ab')2 by an initial 30-min incubation at 37°C, and a second at 4°C overnight, followed by three washes with RPMI 1640 medium. PMNs were then dispensed at 5 x 105 cells/well, and cultured in 200 µl RPMI 1640 medium (Life Technologies, Paisley, Scotland) supplemented with 2.5% FCS, 2 mM L-glutamine (bio-Mérieux, Lyon, France), 200 U/ml penicillin, and 500 µg/ml streptomycin. CD16 mAb F(ab')2 was added at a final concentration of 5 µg/ml, unless otherwise indicated. In selected experiments, the effect of anti-CD16 F(ab')2 was evaluated in the absence of the second-layer Ab. It was essential (6, 28) to ensure that all the reagents used for PMN isolation and culture were LPS free, as judged by a quantitative chromogenic Limulus amebocyte lysate assay (BioWhittaker, Walkersville, MD). As an additional precaution, polymyxin B (Sigma) was added at 100 IU/ml to neutralize undetectable endotoxin trace amounts.

FACS analysis

Staining consisted of incubating 5 x 105 PMNs for 30 min on ice with 10 µl appropriate mAbs at previously determined concentrations. After three washes in PBS supplemented with 2% BSA and 0.1% sodium azide, PMNs were analyzed on an Epics Elite flow cytometer (Coulter, Hialeah, FL), along with isotype controls. The PMNs in whole blood were identified by forward and side scatters. Purified PMNs were also gated to avoid unwanted debris. As for the anti-CD11b mAb, the binding of Bear 1 was not blocked by either of the two I domain-specific CD11b mAbs, 44 and 2LPM19c (data not shown). The percentages of positive cells and mean fluorescence intensities (MFI) were compared with isotype controls in all experiments. In a series of experiments, saturation by Abs was investigated by incubating 105 freshly isolated PMNs with increasing amounts of unconjugated anti-CD16, anti-CD18, or anti-HLA-I F(ab')2, and developing with FITC-labeled sheep F(ab')2 anti-mouse IgG F(ab')2. The MFI of the second-layer reagent alone was systematically subtracted from that obtained with previous incubation of anti-CD16, anti-CD18, or anti-HLA-I F(ab')2. In pilot experiments, the number of molecules per cell was quantified by determining the amount of Ab binding to the cells at saturating concentrations, using the Quantum Simply Cellular kit (Flow Cytometry Standards, San Juan, PR). According to the manufacturer’s instructions, 50 µl of microbeads was added to 20 µl of Ab. Ab-binding capacities (ABC), derived from the MFI and accounting for the numbers of molecules recognized by these Abs, were expressed as arbitrary units.

Assessment of apoptosis

To determine apoptosis, 5 x 105 PMNs were stained with FITC-annexin (29) and propidium iodide (PI), according to the manufacturer’s instructions (Beckman Coulter). After a 10-min incubation in the dark, cells were analyzed by FACS. Early apoptotic PMNs were defined as those annexin V+/PI-, and necrotic PMNs as PI+ nonpermeabilized cells.

Independent assessment of apoptosis was evaluated using the method described by Nicoletti et al. (30). Briefly, after 18 h in culture, PMNs were washed in citrate buffer (0.1 M sodium citrate, 0.1% Triton X-100) and incubated in 250 µl of citrate buffer overnight in the dark at 4°C. Apoptosis was expressed as the percentage of hypoploid PMNs in each flow cytometric profile.

To confirm DNA fragmentation, PMNs were washed three times in HBSS (Eurobio) and once in lysis buffer (250 mM sucrose, 50 mM Tris, pH 7.5, 25 mM KCl, and 5 mM MgCl2). Cell pellets were resuspended and incubated for 8 min on ice in a solution of 0.25% Triton X-100 (Sigma) added to 500 µl of lysis buffer. After centrifugation for 5 min at 500 x g and 4°C, nuclei were resuspended in 500 ml of lysis buffer. This was supplemented with 25 µl of 0.5 M EDTA, 70 µl of 10% SDS, and 0.2 mg of proteinase K (all obtained from Sigma), then incubated for 3 h at 37°C. The DNA was extracted with phenol/chloroform/isoamyl alcohol (25:24:1), followed by two extractions with chloroform (v/v). After 5 min of washing at 400 x g and 4°C, a 1:10 volume of sodium acetate, followed by 2 vol of absolute ethanol was added. DNA was kept for 12 h at 4°C and centrifuged for 10 min at 450 x g. Two volumes of absolute ethanol were then added before addition of 70% ethanol. DNA was dissolved in 10 mM Tris, pH 7.5, and 1 mM EDTA, pH 8, for 12 h after evaporation of the ethanol. The DNA was loaded into wells of a 1% agarose gel and electrophoresed at 75 mV using 100 mM Tris, 100 mM boric acid, and 0.2 mM EDTA as running buffer. DNA was visualized by ethidium bromide staining.

Cell morphology of 105 fresh and apoptotic PMNs was studied. These were centrifuged for 5 min at 200 x g on microscope slides. The slides were air dried for 10 min, and the cells were stained in a May-Grünwald solution (Merck, Darmstadt, Germany) for 3 min, washed in water for 1 min, stained in a Giemsa solution (Merck) 7% in distilled water, and finally rinsed in water. Morphologic changes characteristic of apoptosis, such as nuclear condensation and vacuolation, were subsequently analyzed.

Identification of survival factors (SFs)

To address the question as to whether SFs are released by PMNs in response to CD16 cross-linking, 5 x 105 PMNs were treated with anti-CD16, anti-HLA-I, or anti-CD18 F(ab')2 at final concentrations of 1–20 µg/ml. After an 18-h incubation, supernatants were collected. These were incubated with magnetic beads coated with anti-mouse F(ab')2 Ab for 30 min to remove any residual F(ab')2. Aliquots were then harvested to identify SF(s), and the remaining 200 µl, diluted 1/2 in fresh medium, was added to triplicate wells of 5 x 105 freshly isolated PMNs. Incubation lasted a further 18 h, until the time when annexin V+/PI- cells were enumerated in these secondary cultures. Supernatant-induced variation of PCD was calculated according to the formula: (control apoptotic PMNs - supernatant apoptotic PMNs/control apoptotic PMNs) x 100.

RT-PCR of mRNA for SFs

Concomitantly, five different suspensions of 107 fresh PMNs each were cultured in the presence of 10 µg/ml anti-CD16 F(ab')2, and cells were collected at 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 h for RNA isolation. B cells, and resting or IL-1{beta}-activated M{phi} served as control cells in the RT-PCR experiments. For the preparation of RNA, PMNs, M{phi}, or B cells were first washed twice with HBSS. Total RNA was isolated by the guanidine isothiocyanate method (31) using RNABle (Eurobio).

In the reverse-transcriptase step, 1 µg of total RNA was used in a total incubation volume of 20 µl. Oligo(dT) primers, deoxynucleotides mix, and 200 U of reverse transcriptase from Moloney murine leukemia virus were supplied (Life Technologies). After incubation at 42°C for 50 min, 2 U of RNase H was added and incubated for 20 min at 37°C. Two microliters from this incubation were used in each of the subsequent PCR amplification steps.

Five pairs of primers were selected (32): 5'-CTCTGGACAGTGCAGGAAGCCACC-3' plus 5'-GCTGGGCAAGGTGGCGTAGAACGC-3' for G-CSF; 5'-GCAGCCCTGGGAGCATGTGAATGC-3' plus 5'-ATGCCTGTATCAGGGTCAGTGTGC-3' for GM-CSF; 5'-AACTCCTTCTCCACAAGCGCCTTC-3' plus 5'-TGGACTGCAGGAACTCCTTAAAGC-3' for IL-6; 5'-ACCGCCATGGAGGAAGGTCAATATTCAG-3' plus 5'-TATCCATGCTCAAGAGTGGAGAGGGGAG-3' for CD23; and 5'-GAAGATCAAGATCATTGCTCCTCC-3' plus 5'-CTGGTCTCAAGTCAGTGTACAGG-3' for {beta}-actin. DNA fragments of 533 bp (G-CSF), 497 bp (GMCSF), 593 bp (IL-6), 981 bp (CD23), and 707 bp ({beta}-actin) were obtained.

The following program was used. After the initial template denaturation for 5 min at 94°C, 2.5 U Taq polymerase (Genaxis Biotechnology, Saint-Cloud, France) was added. Standard cycle conditions were: 30 s at 94°C, 60 s at 55°C, and 60 s at 72°C. Thirty-five cycles had to be conducted, except for {beta}-actin, in which 30 cycles were sufficient. The resulting products were run on a 3% agarose gel (Nusieve 3.1; FMC, Rockland, ME) and stained with 0.5 µg/ml ethidium bromide. In addition, PCR products were checked by digestion with various restriction enzymes. Expected digestion patterns were obtained in each case. {beta}-actin mRNA was measured in RNA samples at each point with the same cDNA as that analyzed for cytokine transcripts. PCR band densities were determined using Molecular Analyst software (Bio-Rad, Hercules, CA), and the mean density for each point was normalized with {beta}-actin.

Synthesis and release of G-CSF and GM-CSF

G-CSF (sensitivity: 12 pg/ml) and GM-CSF (sensitivity: 5 pg/ml) were assayed in the aliquots of CD16-conditioned medium, using commercial ELISA kits (R&D Systems and Beckman Coulter, respectively). In inhibition experiments designed to confirm the nature of SFs, human rG-CSF and rGM-CSF (R&D Systems) were used to establish the specificity of the related Abs by Western blotting (data not shown). Then, 200 µl of the primary culture supernatants was preincubated with 2 µg of anti-TNF-{alpha}, 2 µg of anti-G-CSF, 2 µg of anti-GM-CSF, or 1 µg of anti-G-CSF plus 1 µg of anti-GM-CSF Abs for 90 min at 37°C, before being added to fresh PMNs. Variation of spontaneous apoptosis was calculated as above.

Bcl-2 family member expression and caspase-3 activity

To identify intracellular Bax, PMNs were first labeled with PE anti-CD11b mAb, and washed three times. They were then permeabilized in 1 ml of 0.1% saponin for 12 min in the dark. After two washes, the cells were incubated with rabbit anti-Bax F(ab')2 for 30 min at 4°C, followed by another three washes. This unconjugated Ab was revealed by a 30-min incubation with FITC goat F(ab')2 anti-rabbit F(ab')2 at 4°C and washed again. PMNs incubated with the second-layer Ab alone served as a negative control. The preparations were fixed in 5% paraformaldehyde buffer before FACS analysis. A colorimetric assay was then used to measure caspase-3 activity. As recommended by the manufacturer (Tebu, Le Perray-en-Yvelines, France), 2 x 107 PMNs were lysed in 1 ml of lysis buffer (50 mM HEPES, pH 7.4, 0.1% CHAPS, 1 mM DTT, 0.1 mM EDTA) for 5 min on ice. Cell extracts were mixed in assay buffer with or without Ac-DEVD-CHO, a specific inhibitor for caspase-3 activity, in the presence of Ac-DEVD-pNA substrate. Caspase-3 activity was measured at 405 nm in an automatic plate reader (Multiskan Labsystems, Helsinki, Finland).

Statistics

Means and SEM were calculated from a minimum of three independent experiments, each run in triplicate (the results were averaged). Comparisons were made using the unpaired Mann-Whitney U test and the Wilcoxon’s test for paired data.


    Results
 Top
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Materials and Methods
 Results
 Discussion
 References
 
Delayed spontaneous apoptosis of PMNs

The final cell suspension consisted of ~99% PMNs, as determined by CD4, CD8, CD19, CD23, CD56, and CD64 staining (Fig. 1Go, upper panels). The cell preparations contained <0.1 µg/ml endotoxin, and PMNs had not been activated by the isolation procedure or hypotonic lysis, as documented by the absence of reciprocal changes in expression of CD11b, CD66b, and CD45, which were not up-regulated (33, 34, 35), whereas CD62L, CD53, and CD16 were not down-regulated (36, 37, 38) in purified PMNs (Fig. 1Go, lower panels), compared with unmanipulated PMNs in whole blood. Our PMN preparations were extremely pure, LPS free, and nonactivated, thus fulfilling the three criteria for evaluating their behavior in culture.



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FIGURE 1. PMN preparations. PMNs were obtained by Dextran T500 sedimentation, followed by Ficoll-Hypaque density gradient centrifugation. Upper panels, PMN preparation yielded populations comprised of 98–99% PMNs, as determined by CD4, CD8, CD19, CD23, CD56, and CD64 staining (dotted lines, isotypic controls). Lower panels, PMNs were stained with anti-CD11b, anti-CD66b, and anti-CD45 on the one hand, with anti-CD62L, anti-CD53, and anti-CD16 on the other (dotted lines, isotypic controls; bold lines, purified PMNs; and thin lines, PMNs in whole blood).

 
The proportion of spontaneously annexin V-binding PMNs declined from 35.7 ± 1.5 to 16.4 ± 1.5% (p < 0.05) after a 12-h incubation, with 5 µg/ml anti-CD16 F(ab')2 in six independent experiments. Interestingly, a similar tendency was observed in the absence of the second-layer Ab (23.2 ± 1.5% of the cells bound annexin V, p < 0.05, compared with 32.6 ± 2.1 in aged untreated cells: five separate experiments). In contrast, anti-CD18 F(ab')2 exerted no effect on spontaneous apoptosis (Fig. 2GoA). This finding agrees with previous reports (39, 40). The proportion of necrotic cells was <5% for CD16-treated, CD18-treated, and untreated aged PMNs, indicating that CD16 cross-linking did not induce necrosis after a 12-h incubation (Fig. 2Go, inset).



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FIGURE 2. Anti-CD16 mAb delays the PMN apoptotic rate. Freshly isolated PMNs were cultured in medium alone, or in the presence of 5 µg/ml anti-CD16 or anti-CD18 F(ab')2. Mouse monoclonal F(ab')2 were cross-linked with 30 µg/ml sheep F(ab')2 anti-mouse F(ab')2. After 12 h, the cells were assayed for their viability and apoptotic rate using PI and Annexin VFITC staining. A, Percentages of Annexin VFITC + cells among the PI-excluding population were determined by FACS to evaluate the apoptotic rate (mean ± SEM of six experiments). Viability of the cells, i.e., the percentage of PI-excluding cells, is presented in the inset (mean ± SEM of triplicate measurements). B, Dose-effect curves were conducted with increasing amounts of anti-CD16 (filled circles) and anti-CD18 (open circles), and Annexin V-binding PMNs were enumerated after 12 h in culture (mean ± SEM of three experiments).

 
For independent assessment of apoptosis, PMNs incubated with anti-CD16 or anti-CD18 F(ab')2 were analyzed using three other methods. Representative examples of six experiments are shown in Fig. 3Go. annexin V binding is presented for comparison (Fig. 3GoA). Hypoploid cells became detectable after 18 h in culture, and there was a 37.7 ± 5.3% reduction (p < 0.04) in CD16-treated PMNs, compared with CD18 (Fig. 3GoB, histograms 3 and 4). DNA fragmentation in PMNs cultured alone or in the presence of anti-CD18, but not yet in that of anti-CD16, was confirmed (Fig. 3GoC, lanes 2, 4, and 3). There were May-Grünwald-Giemsa-stained PMNs from the same cultures displaying apoptotic morphology in medium alone or following incubation with anti-CD18, then treated with anti-CD16 (Fig. 3GoD, samples 2, 3, and 4).



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FIGURE 3. Confirmation of the delay in apoptosis. Apoptosis was assessed using four methods in: 1) freshly isolated and 2) PMNs cultured in medium alone, or in the presence of 3) anti-CD16 or 4) anti-CD18 for 12 h (A and D) or 18 h (B and C). A, Annexin V binding was determined, as described in the legend to Fig. 1Go. B, Hypoploidy was evaluated using the method developed by Nicoletti et al. (see Ref. 30 ). C, DNA fragmentation was confirmed by electrophoresis on 1% agarose gel. D, Apoptotic morphology was detected (arrows) on air-dried slides by May-Grünwald-Giemsa staining of the cells (original magnification x400).

 
However, it may be argued that these results could be due to the higher expression of CD16 (ABC: 447.7 ± 1.5 x 103, four experiments), compared with CD18 (ABC: 178.4 ± 2.5 x 103). This seems unlikely, because the delay in apoptosis was dependent on the amount of anti-CD16. This was detectable at a dose of 0.1 µg/ml anti-CD16, whereas, even at a dose of 10 µg/ml, anti-CD18 did not inhibit at all annexin V binding, after a 12-h incubation (Fig. 2GoB). Supporting this view is the fact that the doses required to saturate surface CD16 and CD18 (Fig. 4Go) were exactly the same (5–10 µg/ml), even though this does not necessarily imply that such doses produced maximal activity.



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FIGURE 4. Saturation of the membrane Ags by the related Abs. A total of 105 freshly isolated PMNs was incubated with increasing amounts of unconjugated anti-CD16 (filled circles), anti-CD18 (open circles), or anti-HLA-I (filled squares) F(ab')2, and the binding developed with FITC-labeled sheep F(ab')2 anti-mouse IgG F(ab')2, which served as a negative control (open squares). The MFI of the second-layer reagents alone were systematically substracted from those obtained with previous incubation with anti-CD16, anti-CD18, or anti-HLA-I F(ab')2. Data represent the mean ± SEM of three experiments.

 
Expression of {beta}2 integrins

The expression of adhesion molecules was evaluated in the context of CD16-delayed apoptosis. Virtually all freshly isolated PMNs expressed CD11b with an MFI of 7.1 ± 0.3 (mean ± SEM of five independent experiments). After a 12-h incubation in medium, two peaks became distinctly apparent for CD11b (Table IGo), in that the MFI raised to 11.5 ± 0.7 in a 66.6 ± 2.5% fraction of the PMNs (this CD11bbright population will be referred to as such), whereas it declined to 2.3 ± 0.2 in the remaining 22.4 ± 1.4% fraction (CD11dim population). After a 12-h CD16 stimulation, the CD11bbright PMN subpopulation accounted for as few as 36 ± 2.5% of the PMNs (p < 0.01, compared with untreated aged PMNs), whereas 51.6 ± 1.8% of PMNs became CD11bdim (p < 0.01, compared with untreated PMNs). A representative example is shown in Fig. 5GoA. Because stimulation induces conformational changes of CR3 and alters the accessibility of some epitopes on CD11b/CD18, the decrease in CD11bbright PMN may be due to the burying of CD11b epitopes, rather than a genuine reduction in the number of CD11b molecules. However (Table IIGo), similar results were obtained, irrespective of which of the three PE mAb (Bear 1, 44, or 2LPM19C) was used to identify CD11b.


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Table I. CD11bbright and CD11bdim subpopulations of untreated aged and CD16-treated aged PMNs1

 


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FIGURE 5. CD16 cross-linking induces down-regulation of {beta}2 integrins. A, CD11b, and CD35 expression on PMNs was analyzed before and after a 12-h incubation in medium or with 5 µg/ml anti-CD16 F(ab')2. Percentages and MFIs of each population were obtained by FACS using FITC anti-CD11b and FITC anti-CD35 (as a negative control) mAbs. Data are representative of five separate experiments. B, Dual fluorescence patterns of PMNs. PMNs, freshly isolated (left panel) or stimulated for 12 h with 5 µg/ml anti-CD16 F(ab')2 (right panel), were double stained using FITC anti-CD11b and PE anti-CD18, anti-CD11a, or anti-CD11c mAbs. The same results were obtained in two other experiments.

 

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Table II. Distribution of CD11bbright and CD11bdim PMN populations following CD16 stimulation using three different anti-CD11b mAbs1

 
CD16 cross-linking did not affect the expression of a number of other PMN surface molecules, whether they are transmembrane, such as CD15, CD32, and CD35 (Fig. 5GoA), or GPI linked, such as CD48, CD55, CD59, and CD66b. Anti-CD16 treatment produced a lowered expression of CD18, the {beta}-chain of CR3. This effect was restricted to the CD11bdim subpopulation. The same holds true for the alternative {alpha}-chains of the dimer, CD11a and CD11c, albeit to a lesser degree. Representative dual fluorescence histograms are shown in Fig. 5GoB, based on three independent experiments for mAbs defining CD11b and CD18, CD11a, or CD11c. A time-course study (Fig. 6GoA) revealed that the expansion in the dimmer CD11b subpopulation correlated with the length of time the CD16 had been cross-linked by anti-Fc{gamma}RIIIb F(ab')2. After 16 h of CD16 stimulation, this treatment prevented 55.2 ± 2.6% (mean ± SEM of three separate experiments) of the PMNs to become CD11bbright. The reduction in the CD11bright population was also related to the amount of anti-CD16 F(ab')2 added to the culture (Fig. 6GoB).



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FIGURE 6. CD16-induced reduction of CD11b expression is time and dose dependent. A, PMNs were incubated with (circles) or without (triangles) 5 µg/ml anti-CD16 F(ab')2 for various periods of time. PMNs were then stained with FITC anti-CD11b mAb (Bear 1), and percentages of CD11bdim (open symbols) and CD11bbright cells (closed symbols) were evaluated by FACS. B, PMNs were incubated for 12 h with different concentrations of anti-CD16 F(ab')2. Percentages of CD11bdim cells were enumerated by FACS. Data represent the mean and SEM of three experiments.

 
The correlation between early apoptosis and expression of CD11b was examined by staining the cells with Annexin VFITC and PE anti-CD11b, following a 12-h incubation with anti-CD16 or anti-CD18 F(ab')2. In the CD16-treated PMNs, 29.5 ± 1.2% of the CD11bdim cells underwent apoptosis, compared with 4.7 ± 0.8% of the CD11bbright cells (p < 0.05). Similarly, in the CD18-treated PMNs, 63 ± 0.6% of the CD11bdim cells were apoptotic, compared with 6.9 ± 0.6% of the CD11bbright cells (p < 0.04). A representative example of six experiments is shown in Fig. 7GoA.



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FIGURE 7. Correlation between membrane CD11b density on the one hand, and Annexin V binding and Bax expression on the other. A, CD16- or CD18-treated PMNs were double stained using Annexin VFITC and PE anti-CD11b, and the percentages of annexin V+ in the CD11bbright and the CD11dim cells were enumerated (six experiments). B, CD16- or CD18-treated PMNs were labeled with PE anti-CD11b mAb, washed three times, permeabilized in 1 ml 0.1% saponin, incubated with rabbit anti-Bax F(ab')2, washed another three times, and developed with FITC goat F(ab')2 anti-rabbit F(ab')2. The MFIs of Bax in the CD11bbright and the CD11bdim cells were recorded (three experiments).

 
Similar to anti-CD16, which reduced apoptosis by 54.1 ± 2.3% at a dose of 10 µg/ml, treatment of fresh cells with 10 µg/ml anti-CD11b F(ab')2 decreased PCD in PMNs by 44.5 ± 2.7% after an 18-h incubation (Fig. 8Go). A mixture of 5 µg/ml anti-CD16 and 5 µg/ml anti-CD11b showed additive effects (71.4 ± 1.5%, three experiments).



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FIGURE 8. Reduction of PMN apoptosis by cross-linking anti-CD16, anti-CD11b, or anti-CD16 plus anti-CD11b. As described in the legend to Fig. 2Go, fresh PMNs were cultured in medium alone, or in the presence of anti-CD16 F(ab')2, anti-CD11b F(ab')2, or anti-CD16 F(ab')2 plus anti-CD11b F(ab')2 for 12 h (mean ± SEM of three experiments).

 
SFs are produced in response to CD16 engagement

We next investigated whether SFs were induced in response to CD16 cross-linking. Following an 18-h incubation of 2 x 106 PMNs in medium or in the presence of increasing amounts of F(ab')2 specific for CD16, CD18, or HLA-I, the PMN-conditioned supernatants of these primary cultures were collected and used as the culture medium for 5 x 105 freshly explanted PMNs. CD18 mAb was taken as a negative control, and, because ligation of HLA-I molecules retards somewhat apoptosis (47), anti-HLA-I mAb served as a positive control. Annexin V-binding fresh PMNs were enumerated after another 18 h in culture, and the supernatant-induced reduction of apoptosis was calculated. These PMNs were rescued from spontaneous apoptosis by CD16-treated PMN supernatants in a dose-dependent manner, whereas, as expected, there was a 25% inhibition in cells treated with anti-HLA-I mAb, and CD18-conditioned supernatants produced no effect on apoptosis of fresh PMNs (Fig. 9GoA). Furthermore, PMN-PMN interactions do not seem to be involved in the production of SFs. To rule out this possibility, PMNs were cultured at a variety of different cell densities in medium alone or in the presence of 5 µg/ml anti-CD16 or anti-CD18. As above, the supernatants were added to a constant number of fresh PMNs (0.5 x 106), which were examined 18 h later (Fig. 9GoB). The PCD-inhibiting effect of the supernatants was the same, as indicated by similar percentages of Annexin V-binding cells, irrespective of the number of PMNs present in the primary cultures.



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FIGURE 9. SFs are produced by PMNs in response to CD16 engagement. A, PMNs (2 x 106) were incubated for 18 h with increasing amounts of mAb F(ab')2 to CD16 (filled circles), to HLA-I (filled squares), or to CD18 (open circles). These primary culture supernatants were collected and added to 0.5 x 106 fresh PMNs, while control PMNs were left in medium. Following another 18-h incubation, annexin V+/PI- PMN were enumerated in these secondary cultures. B, PMNs were incubated at various densities (0.5–5 x 106/ml) in medium alone (open squares) or in the presence of 5 µg/ml anti-CD16 (filled circles) or anti-CD18 (open circles) F(ab')2. The supernatants were added to 0.5 x 106 fresh PMNs, and these cells were examined for annexin V binding 18 h later. Supernatant-induced variations in apoptosis were calculated according to the formula: (control apoptotic PMNs - supernatant apoptotic PMNs/control apoptotic PMNs) x 100. The results are means ± SEM of triplicate experiments.

 
Role of G-CSF and GM-CSF

G-CSF and GM-CSF emerged as credible agents in the CD16-mediated reduction of apoptosis (6, 17 , and our pilot experiments). Increasing amounts of G-CSF, GM-CSF, and half G-CSF plus half GM-CSF were added to PMNs without CD16 engagement (Fig. 10Go). The antiapoptotic effect was calculated after 18 h in culture, compared with PMNs in medium alone. At a dose of 10 ng/ml, G-CSF, GM-CSF, and G-CSF plus GM-CSF reduced Annexin V binding by 62.5 ± 0.9, 62.7 ± 0.1, and 86.2 ± 0.4%, respectively (mean ± SEM of three experiments).



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FIGURE 10. RT-PCR analysis. A, mRNA expression obtained by RT-PCR and agarose gel electrophoresis for G-CSF (lane 1), GM-CSF (lane 2), IL-6 (lane 3), CD23 (lane 4), and {beta}-actin (lane 5). Resting monocytes (M{phi}) and activated monocytes (IL-1{beta}, 0.5 ng/ml for 4 h) served as positive control for IL-6, G-CSF, and GM-CSF. B cells served as positive control for CD23. Data are representative of two experiments. ND, Not done. B, Induction of G-CSF and GM-CSF mRNA expression by mouse anti-F(ab')2 anti-CD16 at concentration of 10 µg/ml in a time-dependent manner from 0 to 12 h. Data are representative of two experiments.

 
RT-PCR experiments were performed to test this hypothesis. M{phi} and B cells served as positive controls for IL-6 and CD23 transcripts, and provided additional evidence (Fig. 10GoA) for the lack of contaminating M{phi} and eosinophils in the preparations of fresh PMNs, in which the message for CD23 and IL-6 was undetectable. In contrast, the former was expressed in B cells, and the latter in resting M{phi}, IL-1{beta}-activated M{phi}, and B cells. As shown in Fig. 11GoB, when cultured in the presence of anti-CD16 F(ab')2, transcription of mRNA for G-CSF was evident by 3 h (G-CSF/{beta}-actin: 30), reached a maximum at 6 h (G-CSF/{beta}-actin: 59.6), and declined at 12 h (G-CSF/{beta}-actin: 5.1). It was also found that, to a lesser degree, mRNA for GM-CSF peaked at 6 h (GM-CSF/{beta}-actin: 24.2), and plateaued until at least 12 h.



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FIGURE 11. G-CSF, GM-CSF, and G-CSF plus GM-CSF delay apoptosis of PMNs. A total of 0.01–10 ng/ml G-CSF, GM-CSF, or 50% G-CSF plus 50% GM-CSF was added to 0.5 x 106 fresh PMNs, and their antiapoptotic effect was evaluated after an 18-h incubation. Variations in annexin V binding were calculated as in the legend to Fig. 9Go.

 
We next determined whether, following CD16 cross-linking, the transcription of mRNA for G-CSF and GM-CSF resulted in protein synthesis (Table IIIGo). Substantial quantities of G-CSF, and lower quantities of GM-CSF were detected in the PMN supernatant. The levels of both cytokines paralleled the amounts of CD16 mAb used to stimulate the cells.


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Table III. PMN produce G-CSF and GM-CSF in response to CD16 engagement, but not CD18 engagement, in a dose-dependent manner1

 
Inhibition experiments

A prerequisite was to verify that anti-G-CSF and anti-GM-CSF mAbs were strictly specific. After SDS-PAGE, recombinant human G-CSF (5 µg/ml) and GM-CSF (1 µg/ml) were transferred onto polyvinylidene difluoride membrane and probed with both Abs. Neither of these Abs exhibited cross-reactivity (data not shown). To confirm the functional activity of G-CSF and GM-CSF released by CD16-stimulated PMNs in primary culture, fresh PMNs were incubated SF(s)-containing supernatants in the absence or in the presence of neutralizing Abs. Annexin V binding was measured 18 h later, and variations were calculated by comparison with PMNs purified from the same samples and cultured without Ab for the same period of time. As shown in Fig. 12Go, CD16-conditioned supernatants diminished the percentages of annexin V-positive cells by 52.7 ± 1.9% (mean ± SEM of five separate experiments). Although anti-TNF-{alpha} Ab did not influence the antiapoptotic effect of SFs (still reduction of apoptosis was 52.4 ± 1.7%), anti-G-CSF and anti-GM-CSF generated 31.5 ± 2.7 and 33.1 ± 1% abrogation of the antiapoptotic effect produced by the primary culture supernatants (p < 0.04, compared with CD16-conditioned supernatant alone). The capacity of SFs to inhibit apoptosis was almost completely blocked (5.9 ± 1.4% reduction, p < 0.04) with a mixture of anti-G-CSF and anti-GM-CSF Abs, suggesting that these two cytokines produced an additive effect, and accounted for most of the protection induced by treatment of PMNs with anti-CD16.



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FIGURE 12. Prevention of the survival effect of factors released by CD16-stimulated PMN. The experiment was conducted as described in the legend to Fig. 9Go, except that the primary culture supernatants were preincubated with anti-TNF-{alpha}, anti-GM-CSF, anti-G-CSF, or anti-GM-CSF plus anti-G-CSF Abs for 90 min at 37°C, before being added to the fresh PMNs. The results are means ± SEM of triplicate experiments.

 
Bax expression in PMNs treated with conditioned supernatant

Additional experiments were performed to refine the understanding of the mechanism that underlies the antiapoptotic effect of G-CSF and GM-CSF. Direct evidence has been provided recently (42) for a key role of Bax as a proapoptotic molecule in PMNs. This finding was applied to our model. PMN membrane staining of CD11b, coupled with intracellular staining of Bax, was performed in PMNs cultured for 18 h either in primary nonconditioned or in CD16-stimulated supernatants. After another 18 h in culture, the percentage and MFI of Bax-containing cells were down-regulated (Table IVGo and Fig. 7GoB) by CD16 cross-linking in PMNs. Interestingly, although significant also in the CD11bdim population, this reduction predominated in the CD11bbright population.


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Table IV. Supernatants of CD16-stimulated PMNs in primary cultures reduce the level of Bax in fresh PMNs after another 18 h in secondary culture1

 
Effect of CD16 on caspase-3

The involvement of caspase-3 in spontaneous apoptosis of PMNs (9) prompted us to determine the effect of this protease, following incubation of the cells with anti-CD16 F(ab')2. Although it was inactive in untreated fresh cells (Fig. 13Go), aged PMNs developed a strong caspase-3 activity, which was retained in the presence of anti-CD18 F(ab')2 used as a negative control. This was completely abolished by Ac-DEVD-CHO, an inhibitor for caspase-3, demonstrating the specificity of the used assay. Incubation of PMNs in the presence of anti-Fc{gamma}RIIIb F(ab')2 resulted in a 26 ± 2.7% reduction (mean ± SEM of four separate experiments) of caspase-3 activity (p < 0.05, compared with anti-CD18).



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FIGURE 13. CD16 engagement reduces the activity of caspase-3. Freshly isolated PMNs untreated, or stimulated for 12 h with 5 µg/ml anti-HLA-I or anti-CD16 F(ab')2 cross-linked with 30 µg/ml sheep F(ab')2 anti-mouse F(ab')2, were lysed. Cell lysates were analyzed for caspase-3 activity using a colorimetric assay. As a control, cell lysate PMNs from anti-HLA-I-stimulated PMN were analyzed for caspase-3 activity in the presence of Ac-DEVD-CHO, a caspase-3 inhibitor. Data are mean ± SEM of three separate experiments.

 

    Discussion
 Top
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Materials and Methods
 Results
 Discussion
 References
 
The central message from this report is that Fc{gamma}RIIIb long-term cross-linking generates the production of G-CSF and GM-CSF, and thereby retards spontaneous apoptosis of senescent PMNs. Obviously, it cannot be inferred from this finding that other apoptotic processes of PMNs, such as Fas-mediated apoptosis, steroid stimulation, or radiation exposure, would also be affected by CD16 stimulation. After 18 h in culture, the cell population has not yet started to exhibit significant evidence of necrosis, as previously highlighted by Savill et al. (1). In this study, it was essential to rule out that contaminating LPS, an apoptosis-delaying stimulus (6, 28) possibly present in the reagents, was responsible for the PMN survival or worked in synergy with CD16 ligation to cause the effect.

In this study, F(ab')2 of the CD16 mAb 3G8 were incubated with the cells and cross-linked with a second Ab. Furthermore, albeit to a much lower extent, the same tendency was observed in the absence of the second-layer Ab. Thus, in contrast to the 10-min culture, in which an extensive cross-linking of surface Fc{gamma}RIIIb is required to transduce signals (43), pairing of these molecules seems to be sufficient in an 18-h culture to trigger the earliest events of transduction. Such a phenomenon might perhaps be assigned to the extreme abundance of Fc{gamma}RIIIb molecules on the PMN surface (Ref. 44 , and this study). Our finding, which is not this surprising, is consistent with the demonstration that Fc{gamma}RIIIb cross-linking is not an absolute requirement for signaling functions of PMNs (45).

Given the homeostatic role attributed to the {beta}2 integrins in the programmed elimination of PMNs (39, 46), the effect of CD16 activation on the expression of CD11b/CD18 was then investigated. Spontaneously apoptotic PMNs have been shown to express CD11b/CD18 and CD11c/CD18 at increased levels (46), and a 20-min cross-linking of CD16 demonstrated to promote this enhancement (47). We found that, following this initial up-regulation of several {beta}2 integrins secondary to a rapid translocation of the {alpha}- and the {beta}-chains from the intracellular pool to the cell surface (33), CD16 induced the persistence of significantly less CD11bbright PMNs in 12-h cultured cells, compared with PMNs maintained in medium. Conformational changes of CD11b caused by CD16 long-term engagement and masking certain epitopes are unlikely to account for this reduction, because three different anti-CD11b mAbs produced similar results. However, it is interesting to note that the MFI of the dimmer CD11b subpopulation was 10-fold higher with the 44 than the Bear 1 mAb, suggesting that the I domain epitope recognized by 44 and the 2LPM19c mAbs remained more accessible than the Bear 1 epitope during CD16 activation (48). Nonetheless, treatment of PMNs with anti-CD11b F(ab')2 delayed apoptosis of aging cells. This finding confirms and extends our previous report that soluble Fc{gamma}RIIIb prolongs the survival of PMNs in vitro (16), presumably through CRs (49). The effects of anti-CD16 and anti-CD11b were additive. Ligation of CD16 may favor the binding of its polysaccharides to the lectin site of CD11b (50), whereas the anti-CD11b mAb Bear 1 used in our experiments is specific for this part of CD11b (51). Such data are consistent with the conclusion that CD16 polysaccharides and Bear 1 share overlapping, but not identical binding sites on the CD11b lectin site. Our finding that the anti-CD11b, along with the anti-CD18 mAb treatment, exerted additive effects on PMN survival is consistent with, but does not prove, the model of functional interactions between these receptors. Furthermore, the fact that anti-CD18 had no effect on survival argues against such interactions. However, similar results have been reported by Watson et al. (40). Using the mAbs that we used in our own study, these investigators showed that cross-linking of the {alpha}-chain of the {beta}2 integrins, CD11a and CD11b, significantly delayed the apoptosis of resting PMNs, whereas cross-linking of the common {beta}-chain, CD18, failed to alter the apoptotic rate of the cells. In theory, CD16 might however cooperate with CD11b in apoptosis-delaying signal transduction. In addition, although C is not involved, CD11b/CD18 and CD16 cooperate in adhesiveness, phagocytosis, and the generation of respiratory burst (39, 52, 53, 54). As a result, the CD16-induced augmentation in the proportion of CD11bdim should generate a functional alteration of PMNs, and this was actually the case (15 and data not presented).

There appeared that the CD11bdim population became apoptotic, as reported by Jones and Morgan (55). It follows that long-term engagement of CD16 seems to put more cells at risk of becoming apoptotic. In support of this view is the demonstration that increased PMN accumulation in CD11b/CD18-null mice in thioglycolate-induced peritonitis is accompanied by decreased apoptosis of extravasated PMNs (45). Interestingly, although predominating in the CD11bbright population, there was a down-regulation of Bax in the CD11bdim population. CR3 does not initiate apoptosis by itself, but potentiates TNF-{alpha}-mediated (39), and possibly spontaneous apoptosis of PMNs. We failed to establish the involvement of PMN-PMN interactions in the prolonged survival, inasmuch as the conditioned supernatants of increasing numbers of cells produced almost the same PCD-inhibiting effect when incubated with a constant number of PMNs for a further 18 h.

G-CSF and GM-CSF are present at sites of neutrophilic inflammation. In this respect, our major finding was that PMNs release substantial quantities of cytokines in response to CD16 cross-linking, explaining in part the delayed apoptotic process (56). It is well established that, among other agents, these growth factors exert a potent effect on the regulation of apoptosis in PMNs (57, 58). The physiologic control of G-CSF and GM-CSF production remains only partially understood. G-CSF (59) and GM-CSF (60) are produced by a variety of cell types, following appropriate stimulation; in this study, we provide some unanticipated evidence for the CD16-initiated transcription of their mRNAs in PMNs. This is not constitutive (17), as confirmed by the absence of transcripts in fresh PMNs. The proteins became detectable after 18 h of culture in the presence of cross-linked anti-CD16 F(ab')2. To ensure that the proteins measured in the culture supernatants were not released by contaminating M{phi}, it was essential to yield pure populations of PMNs. This concern was clearly addressed, because our cell suspension was comprised of 99% PMNs. The absence of contaminating M{phi} and eosinophils was confirmed by the fact that mRNA for IL-6 and CD23 were undetectable in fresh PMNs. Neutralization of G-CSF biologic activity by specific antiserum abrogated G-CSF-mediated inhibition of PCD. In addition, immunodepleting GM-CSF blocked the effect of GM-CSF. These data suggest that G-CSF and GM-CSF produce distinct, but additive antiapoptotic effects. Comparable results have been reported by Matute-Bello et al. (61) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from patients with the acute respiratory distress syndrome. It is known that GM-CSF can induce the secretion of G-CSF by PMNs (62). It would thus be interesting to study the kinetics of GM-CSF and G-CSF production in the CD16-stimulated PMN model, to address the issue as to whether the G-CSF expression results from that of GM-CSF. It is surprising that 5 µg/ml F(ab')2 anti-CD16 was sufficient for maximal activity of conditioned supernatants (see Fig. 6Go), although doses as high as 20 µg/ml still induced the production of larger amounts of G-CSF and GM-CSF (see Table IIIGo). As previously described (63), this discrepancy suggests that subsaturating dosages of mAb bind uniformly to all the cells, but a mAb dose-dependent proportion of those mAb-bound PMNs responded with a release of G-CSF and GM-CSF.

The precise mechanism by which GM-CSF and G-CSF extend the survival of PMNs warrants further analysis. To begin to address this issue, the level of the death promoter Bax was measured and found to be reduced by CD16 long-term engagement. This is consistent with the recent report that, in neutrophilic inflammatory diseases, the delay in PMN apoptosis was associated with markedly decreased levels of Bax, and normalized by stimulation with G-CSF and GM-CSF in vitro (45).

Caspase-3 has been reported to be pivotal in spontaneous apoptosis of PMNs (9). In the present study, CD16-stimulated PMNs reduced, but did not abolish activity of this cysteine protease. Such a finding is consistent with the observation that impaired apoptotic death signaling in inflammatory lung PMNs is associated with decreased, but not totally inhibited expression of caspases (40). One possibility is that, due to insufficient activation by caspase-3, protein kinase C{delta} does not acquire the capacity to stimulate phospholipid scramblase (64), and to induce the ensuing translocation of phosphatidylserine to the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane. There appear to be at least two explanations. Caspase-3 might be one of several different molecular pathways involved in PMN spontaneous apoptosis, so that it would be of no surprise that the CD16-induced inhibition of apoptosis remains partial. It has nevertheless been established that PCD may occur through apparently caspase-3-independent ways (65). Although it has not been clearly defined in humans, PML nuclear bodies, which are nuclear matrix-associated structures inducing a caspase-independent death process (66), might follow another pathway in PMN spontaneous apoptosis. Alternatively, this spontaneous apoptosis might be exclusively mediated by caspase-3. In the latter scenario, it is possible that caspase-3 becomes accessible to CD16-induced signals in only a fraction of the cells, presumably depending on their age. Indeed, terminally differentiated PMNs undergo major functional changes as they age in the circulation (67), resulting inevitably in a heterogeneous population of cells. Relatively low levels of reactive oxygen species generated in this model (68) do not prevent caspases from functioning, and offer another explanation for the incomplete inhibition of caspase-3 following CD16 engagement.

In conclusion, CD16 long-term stimulation significantly prolonged the survival of PMN. This phenomenon was associated with induction of mRNA and protein synthesis of G-CSF and GM-CSF. PMN-binding anti-Fc{gamma}RIIIb autoantibodies might produce the same effect, accompanied by the absence of up-regulation of {beta}2 integrins. CD16 and the related autoantibodies may thus be influential in the control of inflammatory responses, and thereby facilitate the development of autoimmune states.


    Acknowledgments
 
We acknowledge Roger Casburn-Budd (The Binding Site, Birmingham, U.K.) for critical reading of the manuscript. We are indebted to Guillaume Le Bigot (Beckman Coulter France) for the generous gift of reagents. Thanks are also due to Simone Forest and Sylvie Hamon for expert secretarial assistance.


    Footnotes
 
1 V.D. and Y.R. contributed equally to this work. Back

2 Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Pierre Youinou, Laboratory of Immunology, Brest University, Medical School, 5 av. Foch, F 29 609 Brest Cedex, France. E-mail address: youinou{at}univ-brest.fr Back

3 Abbreviations used in this paper: PMN, polymorphonuclear neutrophil; ABC, Ab-binding capacity; CR, complement receptor; M{phi}, macrophage; MFI, mean fluorescence intensity; PCD, programmed cell death; PI, propidium iodide; SF, survival factor; CD62L, CD62 ligand. Back

Received for publication December 27, 2000. Accepted for publication July 19, 2001.


    References
 Top
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Materials and Methods
 Results
 Discussion
 References
 

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