Institute of Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, University of Lübeck School of Medicine, D-23538 Lübeck, Germany
Correspondence: Dr. Lothar Rink, Institute of Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, Ratzeburger Allee 160, D-23538 Lübeck, Germany. E-mail: Rink{at}immu.mu-luebeck.de
Neutrophils have been shown to express major histocompatibility complex
class II (MHC II) after stimulation. However, reports concerning the
functional effect of MCH II expression are still lacking. In our hands,
granulocyte-monocyte colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) alone and in
combination with interferon (IFN)-
, but not IFN- or interleukin
(IL)-3, induced a significant level of expression of human leukocyte
antigen DR on neutrophils. The addition of staphylococcal enterotoxin E
to neutrophils resulted in a significant increase in IL-8 production
only after prestimulation with GM-CSF alone or in combination with
IFN- but had no effect on neutrophils preincubated with IFN-
alone or IL-3. Staphylococcal enterotoxin A, another bivalent
superantigen, also stimulated production of IL-8 by preincubated
polymorphonuclear neutrophils, whereas staphylococcal enterotoxin A
mutants that are not able to cross-link MHC II molecules failed to
induce IL-8 production. Taken together, our results clearly demonstrate
that after induction of MHC II, neutrophils are able to respond to MHC
II-specific stimulation. These findings support the ideas that the
induced MHC II complex is completely functional and that neutrophils
may be able to present antigens.
Key Words: major histocompatibility complex (MHC) • neutrophils • superantigens
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