Nerve Growth Factor Modulates Fc Gamma Receptor Expression on Murine Macrophage J774A.1 Cells

Abstract

We assessed the effect of nerve growth factor (NGF) on Fc gamma receptor (FcγR) expression on murine monocyte-macrophage J774A.1 cells. Flow cytometric analysis showed that treatment with various doses of NGF led to a rapid increase of FcγRI and FcγRII/III expression in a dose-dependent manner. Northern blot analysis with digoxigenin-labeled oligonucleotide probes demonstrated that NGF induced a marked increase in mRNA synthesis of FcγRI and FcγRII, but not FcγRIII. Since pretreatment with K-252a, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, inhibited the stimulatory effect of NGF completely, the FcγR expression augmented by NGF may be mediated through p140^trk with a tyrosine kinase domain. These results suggest that NGF may be a novel cytokine that is able to increase FcγRI and FcγRII expression on macrophages.