EFFECT OF PHAGOCYTOSIS OF PHEMA PARTICLES AND OF HEAT-KILLED CANDIDA-ALBICANS ON EXPRESSION OF CARBOHYDRATE-BINDING SITES SUCH AS ENDOGENOUS LECTINS IN PHAGOCYTES

Phagocytosis of particles is an integral part of the defence system. B esides clearing the environment of foreign material this mechanism may affect the expression of physiologically relevant epitopes such as ca rbohydrate-binding sites, e.g. lectins. To determine the effect of par ticle design on the expression of such determinants in human monocytes and peritoneal macrophages either in suspension or after adherence, t he binding of labelled (neo)glycoproteins was comparatively studied af ter exposure to poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) particles and heat-i nactivated Candida albicans cells. A stimulatory effect of phagocytosi s on extent of expression of binding sites for (neo)glycoproteins in p hagocytic cells was observed. The levels of responsiveness varied acco rding to the type of particle, adherence of the cell adding a further regulatory parameter. These results support the notion of a potential influence of the chemical structure and/or the form of an engulfed par ticle on phagocyte differentiation.