Effects of cytokines on Porphyromonas gingivalis-induced opsonophagocytosis of a murine macrophage cell line.

A murine macrophage cell line was incubated with opsonized Porphyromonas gingivalis and various concentrations of rIFN-gamma, rIL-4 and rIL-10. The number of phagocyted cells were microscopically assessed. The results showed that IFN-gamma upregulated macrophage phagocytosis to this periodontopathogen, and the upregulatory effects was abolished by anti-IFN-gamma antibodies. Neither IL-4 nor IL-10 had any effects on opsonophagocytosis by this cell line. These results suggest that up-regulatory functions of IFN-gamma on phagocytic activities of macrophages may play a crucial role in the induction of immune response to P. gingivalis.