Augmentation and Suppression of Release of Tumor Necrosis Factor from Macrophages by Negatively Charged Phospholipids

We recently reported that some lipid species of cell membranes and lipoproteins induced the growth of peripheral macrophages. In this study, the effects of phospholipids on tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐releasing activity of macrophages were examined. Ten to 20 μg/ml of cardiolipin, which is a suboptimal concentration for macrophage growth‐stimulation, augmented macrophage TNF release triggered by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in vitro. This priming effect appeared with 1 day of preincubation and was still potent on day 3, whereas the priming effect of interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ) peaked at 3 h and then gradually decreased. In contrast, a high concentration of cardiolipin (40 μg/ml) which is optimal for the induction of macrophage growth, completely suppressed LPS‐triggered TNF release from not only untreated macrophages but also IFN‐γ‐primed macrophages. The suppressive effect was potent even with 3 h preincubation, was still potent on day 3, and was not abolished by indomethacin. Cardiolipin had scarcely any effect on the triggering activity of LPS. Similar augmentative and suppressive activities were observed in peroxidized phosphatidylserine, which is also highly active in inducing macrophage growth, but was not found in native phosphatidylserine, which is less active, nor in phosphatidylcholine, which is an inactive species toward macrophage growth. These results suggest that lipids may be important endogenous factors in regulating both activation and growth states of peripheral macrophages.