MACROPHAGE-COLONY-STIMULATING FACTOR PROTECTS MOUSE PERITONEAL-MACROPHAGES FROM OXIDATIVE INJURY CAUSED BY TERT-BUTYL HYDROPEROXIDE IN-VITRO

The transformation of macrophages into foam cells is an important even t in the development of atherosclerosis and the oxidative injury cause d by oxidised low density lipoprotein plays an essential role in that process. Previous work showed that macrophage colony-stimulating facto r (M-CSF) could prevent the progression of atherosclerosis in Watanabe heritable hypercholesterolaemic rabbits. In order to find out whether the anti-atherogenic effect of M-CSF was associated with some of its effects on macrophages, we investigated the effect of M-CSF on the oxi dative injury caused by tbOOh to mouse peritoneal macrophages. M-CSF d id protect mouse peritoneal macrophages from oxidative injury (as asse ssed by cell morphology and cell survival rate). L929 cell-conditions medium had the same effect as M-CSF, and anti-M-CSF monoclonal antibod y could largely block the protective effect of L929-CM on macrophages.