IL-4 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor selectively increase HLA-DR and HLA-DP antigens but not HLA-DQ antigens on human monocytes.

A number of cytokines were tested for their ability to modulate HLA-DR Ag expression on normal human monocytes. IL-4, granulocyte-macrophage (GM)-CSF as well as IFN-gamma were able to increase HLA-DR Ag expression on monocytes. IFN-alpha was also able to augment HLA-DR Ag expression, but to a lesser degree. Macrophage-CSF, granulocyte-CSF, TNF-alpha, TNF-beta, and IL-6 were not able to augment HLA-DR Ag expression. There were distinct patterns in the ability of different cytokines to augment class II histocompatibility Ag expression. IL-4 and GM-CSF selectively increased only HLA-DR and HLA-DP, but did not increase HLA-DQ antigens on monocytes. IFN-gamma, however, was able to augment the expression of HLA-DR, HLA-DP, and HLA-DQ Ag. Combinations of IFN-gamma with either IL-4 or GM-CSF did not show any synergy for the augmentation of any of the class II antigens on monocytes.

Products of stimulated monocytes enhance the activity of interferon-gamma.

We have investigated the interaction of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) with monocytes or products of stimulated monocytes. We have shown that IFN-gamma does not stimulate IFN-alpha production in monocytes. Staphylococcus aureus (SAC) but not lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced IFN-alpha secretion by monocytes. However, it was observed that supernatants of monocytes stimulated with IFN-gamma in combination with either LPS or SAC had higher levels of antiviral activity than supernatants of monocytes stimulated only with IFN-gamma. Moreover, the degree of enhancement of antiviral activity was dependent on the dose of either LPS or SAC used to stimulate the monocytes. Supernatants of monocytes stimulated with LPS or SAC enhanced the antiviral activity of IFN-gamma but not IFN-alpha. Thus, LPS- or SAC-stimulated monocytes produced a factor(s) that augmented the biological activity of IFN-gamma. To identify the factor within stimulated monocyte supernatants that was responsible for this enhancement, several monokines were added to IFN-gamma. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) significantly increased the antiviral activity of IFN-gamma, although TNF by itself had no antiviral activity. Interleukin 1 (IL-1) or granulocyte-monocyte colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) did not enhance the activity of IFN-gamma. Our data indicate that the interaction between IFN-gamma and monocytes is bidirectional. Not only can IFN-gamma activate monocytes, but products of stimulated monocytes also enhance the biological activities of IFN-gamma.

Modulation of class I and class II histocompatibility antigens on human T cell lines by IFN-gamma.

IFN-gamma is an immunomodulatory agent which is known to induce or enhance the expression of class II histocompatibility Ag (Ia Ag) on many lymphoid cells and cell lines of diverse origin. However, we have observed that IFN-gamma did not induce the expression of Ia Ag on Ia- human T cell lines. Neither did IFN-gamma enhance the expression of Ia Ag on Ia+ T cells. However, IFN-gamma was able to enhance the expression of class I histocompatibility Ag (HLA-A,B,C Ag) on a number of the T cell lines tested. Experiments with 125I-labeled IFN-gamma showed a relatively small degree of specific binding to these T cell lines. More extensive studies on two of the T cell lines demonstrated 1000 and 2600 IFN-gamma binding receptor sites/cell and binding affinities of 4.0 X 10(-10) M and 7.3 X 10(-10) M. Thus, although IFN-gamma can bind to human T cell lines and enhance class I histocompatibility Ag on these cells, IFN-gamma alone does not appear to regulate expression of class II histocompatibility Ag on T cell lines.

Differential effects of interferon-alpha and interferon-gamma on interleukin 1 secretion by monocytes.

We examined the effect of interferon (IFN)-alpha and IFN-gamma on the ability of human monocytes to secrete interleukin 1 (IL 1). IFN-alpha directly induced IL 1 secretion by monocytes. IFN-gamma did not induce any IL 1. IFN-gamma-stimulated monocyte supernatants were also negative for pyrogenic activity. However, IFN-gamma greatly enhanced the amount of IL 1 secreted when monocytes were stimulated by lipopolysaccharide or Staphylococcus aureus, even at concentrations which by themselves did not induce IL 1. IFN-alpha did not enhance IL 1 secretion induced by other stimuli. IFN-gamma enhanced IL 1 secretion by priming monocytes to be more sensitive to an IL 1-inducing stimulus. However, IFN-gamma does not enhance IL 1 induced by all stimuli, because there was no enhancement of IL 1 induced by PMA. Thus, IFN-alpha and IFN-gamma have very distinct roles in the induction and enhancement of IL 1 by monocytes.