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Significance of immune complex activation of macrophages in
pigeon fanciers’ lung
Tebekeme Okoko
Department of Chemical Sciences, Biochemistry Programme,
Niger Delta University,
P. M. B. 71, Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. E-mail:
tebebuddy@yahoo.com.
Accepted 25 June, 2010 |
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Pigeon fanciers' lung is an immunologically-mediated lung
disease as a result of inhaling pigeon derived materials.
High antibody titres are observed for symptomatic and
asymptomatic pigeon fanciers. The aim of the present study
was to investigate whether immune complexes from individuals
with pigeon fanciers’ lung were better at activating
macrophages than immune complexes from asymptomatic pigeon
fanciers. Serum samples were obtained from fifteen
individuals with pigeon fanciers’ lung, fifteen asymptomatic
pigeon fanciers and fifteen non-farming controls. Solid
immune complexes were generated with these serum samples
with the pigeon derived antigen mucin. The immune complexes
were then incubated with macrophage U937 cells. The
supernatants of the cell culture were thereafter analysed
for tumour necrosis factor-a
(TNF-a),
interleukin 6 (IL 6), interleukin 1 (IL 1), nitric oxide and
catalase as indices for the activation of macrophages. The
activation by lipopolysaccharide was used as a positive
control. The results showed that the immune complexes from
symptomatic pigeon fanciers activated macrophages
significantly better than immune complexes from asymptomatic
pigeon fanciers (P < 0.05). Immune complexes from
non-farming controls exhibited the least propensity in
activating the macrophages. The findings suggest that immune
complex activation of macrophages could be used to assign
farmers to been symptomatic and asymptomatic.
Key words:
Pigeon fanciers’ lung, macrophages, activation, immune
complexes, mucin. |
