ANTI-RMA - A MURINE MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODY THAT ACTIVATES RAT MACROPHAGES .1. DISTRIBUTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE RMA ANTIGEN

Activated macrophages participate in inflammation by eliminating foreign cells, promoting wound healing, and modulating the immune response. A murine monoclonal antibody, designated anti-rat macrophage activator (RMA), was raised against alveolar macrophages (AM) activated with interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). The RMA antigen is expressed by resident macrophages but not by other cells. Binding to AM by anti-RMA is not competitively inhibited by the murine monoclonal antibodies MRC OX-41, OX-42, and OX-43. Surface membrane expression of RMA antigens is upregulated by lipopolysaccharide, PMA, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha but not by IFN-gamma. Stimulation of AM with anti-RMA yields distinct ultrastructural alterations, as well as de novo protein and DNA synthesis. Immunoprecipitation of [35S]methionine metabolically labeled AM yields a 120 kD protein by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) that is not altered by chemical reduction. We conclude that the RMA antigen is macrophage specific and that binding of anti-RMA to AM promotes functional activities in a subset of these cells.