Comparison of Inflammatory Effects in THP-1 Monocytes and Macrophages after Exposure to Metal Ions

Monocytes and macrophages are the first barrier of the innate immune system, which interact with abrasion and corrosion products, leading to the release of proinflammatory mediators and free reactive molecules. The aim of this study was to understand inflammation-relevant changes in monocytes and macrophages after exposure to corrosion products. To do this, the THP-1 cell line was used to analyze the effects of metal ions simultaneously in monocytes and differentiated macrophages. Cells were stimulated with several concentrations of metal salts (CoCl₂, NiCl₂, CrCl₃ × 6H₂O) to analyze viability, gene expression, protein release and ROS production. Untreated cells served as negative controls. While exposure to Cr(3+) did not influence cell viability in both cell types, the highest concentration (500 µM) of Co(2+) and Ni(2+) showed cytotoxic effects mirrored by significantly reduced metabolism, cell number and a concomitant increase of ROS. The release of IL-1β, IL-8, MCP-1 and M-CSF proteins was mainly affected in macrophages after metal ion exposure (100 µM), indicating a higher impact on pro-inflammatory activity. Our results prove that monocytes and macrophages react very sensitively to corrosion products. High concentrations of bivalent ions lead to cell death, while lower concentrations trigger the release of inflammatory mediators, mainly in macrophages.