Serial analysis of gene expression in human monocytes and macrophages

Monocytes/macrophages serve as sentinels involved in chronic inflammation a nd the eradication of various pathogens. To define molecularly the differen tiation of blood monocytes into macrophages, we conducted serial analysis o f gene expression (SAGE) in human blood monocytes/macrophages induced by gr anulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) or M-CSF, SAGE anal ysis of 57,560, 57,463, and 55,856 tags from monocytes, GM-CSF-, and M-CSF- induced macrophages, respectively, allowed identification of 35,037 differe nt transcripts. Interestingly, the genes with the highest expression during differentiation from monocytes into macrophages were genes involved in lip id metabolism, Both CSF-induced macrophages ex-pressed similar sets of gene s except for several genes such as monocyte-derived chemokine (MDC), leguma in, prostaglandin D synthetase, and lysosomal sialoglycoprotein, The identi fication of specific gene expression in human monocytes, GM-CSF-, or M-CSF- induced macrophages provides novel methods to define macrophage subsets and the maturation and activation stage of cells of macrophage lineage and, po ssibly, to diagnose diseases in which macrophages play a major role, This s tudy represents the first extensive serial analysis of gene expression for any type of human hematopoietic cells. (C) 1999 by The American Society of Hematology.