Nerve growth factor modulates Fc gamma receptor expression on murine macrophage J774A.1 cells

We assessed the effect of nerve growth factor (NGF) on Fcgamma receptor (FcgammaR) expression on murine monocyte-macrophage J774A.1 cells. Flow cytometric analysis showed that treatment with various doses of NGF led to a rapid increase of FcgammaRI and FcgammaRII/III expression in a dose-dependent manner. Northern blot analysis with digoxigenin-labeled oligonucleotide probes demonstrated that NGF induced a marked increase in mRNA synthesis of FcgammaRI and FcgammaRII, but not FcgammaRIII. Since pretreatment with K-252a, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, inhibited the stimulatory effect of NGF completely, the FcgammaR expression augmented by NGF may be mediated through p140trk with a tyrosine kinase domain. These results suggest that NGF may be a novel cytokine that is able to increase FcgammaRI and FcgammaRII expression on macrophages.