Systemic lupus erythematosus is not associated with allotypic markers of immunoglobulin kappa in Caucasians.

Objective: To determine whether systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is associated with a specific Km genotype or allele. Specific genetic markers located both within the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and outside the MHC have been associated with SLE. However, serologic studies of Km allotypes have led to contradictory results.

High concentrations of bacterial lipopolysaccharide, but not microbial infection-induced inflammation, activate macrophage C3 receptors for phagocytosis.

Macrophage C3 receptors are normally immobilized in the plane of the cells' plasma membrane and are unable to promote phagocytosis even though they promote avid particle binding. We have previously identified a lymphokine that activates macrophage C3 receptors for phagocytosis both in vitro and in vivo, and others have found that certain types of nonimmunologically mediated inflammation are also able to activate mononuclear phagocyte C3 receptors. These findings raised the possibility that macrophage C3 receptor activation is a universal consequence of inflammation.

Effects of differentiation in vivo and of lymphokine treatment in vitro on the mobility of C3 receptors of human and mouse mononuclear phagocytes.

The C3 receptors of human peripheral blood monocytes are able to move laterally within the plasma membranes of the cells and remain mobile even when the cells develop into "macrophages" in vitro. In contrast, the C3 receptors of mouse peritoneal macrophages are immobile. To determine whether these differences are species differences or differences between cells of different stages of differentiation, we assessed the mobility of C3 receptors of mouse peripheral blood monocytes and of human pulmonary alveolar and peritoneal macrophages.

In vivo activation of macrophage C3 receptors for phagocytosis.

We assessed the effects of exposure to immune complexes in vivo on macrophages' Fc receptor function and C3 receptor function. Peritoneal macrophages from mice injected intraperitoneally with immune complexes were markedly impaired in their ability to phagocytize via their Fc receptors but had acquired the ability to phagocytize via their C3 receptors. In vivo activation of macrophages' C3 receptors for phagocytosis required T lymphocytes, because macrophages from athymic mice could not be activated by injection of immune complexes.

Augmentation of macrophage complement receptor function in vitro. V. Studies on the mechanisms of ligation of macrophage Fc receptors required to trigger macrophages to signal T lymphocytes to elaborate the lymphokine that activates macrophage C3 receptors for phagocytosis.

We previously described a unique lymphokine that activates macrophage C3 receptors for phagocytosis. The lymphokine is generated when T lymphocytes receive a signal from macrophages that have ingested IgG-coated material. In the present work, we examined the mechanisms by which macrophage Fc receptors must be engaged for macrophages to signal lymphocytes to elaborate the lymphokine.

Augmentation of macrophage complement receptor function in vitro. IV. The lymphokine that activates macrophage C3 receptors for phagocytosis binds to a fucose-bearing glycoprotein on the macrophage plasma membrane.

Macrophage receptors for the third component of complement (C3) are normally immobilized and unable to diffuse within the cell's plasma membrane and, even though they promote avid particle binding, are unable to promote phagocytosis of C3-coated particles. We have previously identified a lymphokine that activates macrophage C3 receptors for phagocytosis and have found that it acts by freeing the receptors so that they can diffuse within the macrophage plasma membrane. It seemed likely to us that the initial lymphokine-macrophage interaction would occur at the macrophage surface, perhaps via a specific lymphokine receptor.

Augmentation of macrophage complement receptor function in vitro. III. C3b receptors that promote phagocytosis migrate within the plane of the macrophage plasma membrane.

We have previously reported that treatment with a unique lymphokine enables resident mouse peritoneal macrophages to phagocytize via their complement receptors and we have presented evidence that the lymphokine act by enabling complement receptor engagement by C3b ligands to generate a phagocytic signal, thereby linking the cell surface binding event with the intracellular phagocytic machinery. In the present experiments, we used immobilized immune complexes to study the topography of C3b receptors of resident mouse peritoneal macrophages treated with the lymphokine. Our results indicate that lymphokine treatment enables the macrophages' C3b receptors to migrate within the plane of the cells' plasma membrane and that manipulations of macrophages that abrogate one response to the lymphokine, complement receptor mobility, also abrogate the other response, complement receptor-mediated phagocytosis.