Nonimmune lymphocyte-macrophage interaction. I. Quantification by an automated colorimetric assay

Previous studies have demonstrated a spontaneous, nonimmune interaction between lymphocytes and macrophages. This paper describes an automated colorimetric assay based on the dye, rose bengal, to quantify this interaction. The procedure entails allowing lymphocytes to adhere to preformed macrophage monolayers in the wells of microplates and then staining bound lymphocytes with rose bengal. Dye uptake and the consequent number of lymphocytes bound were quantified using an automated spectrophotometer developed for reading microplates. This procedure was used to confirm and extend the basic parameters of the system. The interaction was found to be temperature dependent but the kinetics and percentage of cells binding varied with the source of lymphocytes. However, all lymphocyte populations tested, namely, mature and immature thymocytes, T and B lymphocytes, and a range of thymoma cell lines, bound to macrophages. Furthermore, all macrophage populations examined had the ability to bind lymphocytes. The interaction also showed no strain specificity and generally lacked species specificity. It is proposed that the interaction is a highly dynamic process that enables lymphocytes to scan the surface of macrophages for self and/or foreign antigens.