Journal of Cell Science, Vol 44, Issue 1 299-315, Copyright © 1980 by Company of Biologists

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Regulation of macrophage lysosomal enzyme secretion: role of arachidonate metabolites, divalent cations and cyclic AMP

RM McMillan, DE Macintyre, JE Beesley and JL Gordon

We have investigated the role in macrophage lysosomal enzyme release of arachidonate metabolites, extracellular divalent cations and cyclic AMP (cAMP) which modulate secretion in other cell types. Lysosomal enzyme secretion induced by zymosan was accompanied by release of malondialdehyde (MDA), which is derived from arachidonic acid via prostaglandin synthase. Blockade of MDA formation, by aspirin or indomethacin, was associated with only a small inhibitory effect on lysosomal enzyme release by zymosan: arachidonate metabolites thus play only a minor role in mediating macrophage lysosomal enzyme release. Zymosan-induced secretion of lysosomal enzymes from macrophages did not require extracellular magnesium or calcium although release was enhanced by magnesium and inhibited by calcium. These effects may be related to an influence of the ions on phagocytosis. Elevation of intracellular divalent cation concentrations, by ionophore A23187, induced release of lysosomal enzymes but this was a result of cell lysis. Adenylate cyclase stimulants and dibutyryl cAMP produced slight inhibition of zymosan-induced lysosomal enzyme release. Aminophylline and papaverine caused more marked inhibition but their effects may be due to actions independent of phosphodiesterase inhibition. Our data indicate that arachidonate metabolites and cAMP do not play a major role in regulating zymosan-induced enzyme release from macrophages. Extracellular calcium and magnesium may modulate secretion but the role of intracellular divalent cations remains to be established. We conclude that macrophage lysosomal enzyme secretion is controlled by regulatory mechanisms different from those which control similar degranulation processes in other cell types.