Sulfated glycosphingolipid as mediator of phagocytosis: SM4s enhances apoptotic cell clearance and modulates macrophage activity.

ABSTRACT: Sulfoglycolipids are present on the surface of a variety of cells. The sulfatide SM4s is increased in lung, renal, and colon cancer and is associated with an adverse prognosis, possibly due to a low immunoreactivity of the tumor. As macrophages significantly contribute to the inflammatory infiltrate in malignancies, we postulated that SM4s may modulate macrophage function. We have investigated the effect of SM4s on the uptake of apoptotic tumor cells, macrophage cytokine profile, and receptor expression. Using flow cytometry and microscopic analyses, we found that coating apoptotic murine carcinoma cells from the colon and kidney with SM4s promoted their phagocytosis by murine macrophages up to 3-fold ex vivo and in vivo. This increased capacity was specifically inhibited by preincubation

SUBMITTER: Popovic ZV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4861212 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature