Folate receptor-β constitutes a marker for human proinflammatory monocytes.

ABSTRACT: Activated macrophages are commonly involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases and have been frequently reported to overexpress FR-β. Although FR-targeted therapies aimed at eliminating activated macrophages have shown promise for treating inflammatory diseases, little work has been performed to evaluate whether other hematopoietic cells might also express FR-β. Analysis of peripheral blood cells with a mAb to human FR-β reveals that only monocytes express FR-β. Molecular characterization of these circulating monocytes further demonstrates that solely the classic/proinflammatory subset (CD14(high)CD16(-)) expresses the FR and that only CD14(high)CD16(-) FR-β(+) monocytes also display the ability to bind folate-linked molecules. Confirmation that this subset of mono

SUBMITTER: Shen J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4163630 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature