Reversing lipopolysaccharide toxicity by ligating the macrophage Fcγ receptors

Our laboratory has previously demonstrated that the ligation of phagocytic receptors on macrophages can influence cytokine production. In this study, we examine the cytokine responses to multiple inflammatory stimuli following Fc gammaR ligation. Macrophages were stimulated in vitro with LPS, lipoteichoic acid, CD40 ligand, or low molecular mass hyaluronic acid. All of these stimuli were proinflammatory in character, inducing the production of high levels of IL-12, but only modest amounts of IL-10. The coligation of Fc gammaR along with these stimuli resulted in an anti-inflammatory profile, abrogating IL-12 production and inducing high levels of IL-10. The modulation of these two cytokines occurred by two independent mechanisms. Whereas the abrogation of IL-12 biosynthesis was a property shared by several macrophage receptors, the induction of IL-10 was specific to the Fc gammaR. The biological relevance of these observations was examined in murine models of endotoxemia, in which Fc gammaR ligation induced the rapid production of IL-10 and prevented IL-12 synthesis. Mice could be passively immunized with Abs to LPS to reverse inflammatory cytokine production, and the transfer of macrophages whose Fc gammaR had been ligated could rescue mice from lethal endotoxemia. Thus, the ligation of the macrophage Fc gammaR can be exploited to prevent inappropriate inflammatory cytokine responses.