EXPRESSION OF INFLAMMATORY CYTOKINES BY MURINE MACROPHAGES ACTIVATED WITH A NEW SYNTHETIC LIPOPEPTIDE JT3002

The present study was undertaken to investigate the effect of JT3002, a new synthetic analogue of a lipoprotein from the outer wall of a gra m-negative bacterium on the production of cytokines by mouse peritonea l macrophages. Multilamellar liposomes containing different concentrat ions of JT3002 induced production of the inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1 alpha, and interleukin-6 by macro phages in dose-and time-dependent manners. The presence of interferon- gamma enhanced production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha by macrophage s exposed to lower concentrations of JT3002 and induced the release of nitric oxide, a potent cytolytic molecule of activated macrophages. U nlike lipopolysaccharide, JT3002 activated macrophages independently o f serum, but like lipopolysaccharide, it required protein tyrosine kin ase.