Ribonucleic acid synthesis in normal and immune macrophages after antigenic stimulus

Macrophage ribonucleic acid (RNA) synthesis is an important metabolic process intimately related to the function of these cells. Mouse peritoneal macrophage RNA was extracted with phenol in the presence of bentonite and electrophoresed on composite agarose-polyacrylamide gels. The pulse-chase technique was used to follow the precursor relationships in macrophage ribosomal RNA (rRNA) maturation. The rRNA species at 18S and 28S appeared at 15 and 45 min, respectively, after RNA synthesis was halted. Their appearance corresponded closely to decreases in the rRNA precursors at 45S, 36S, and 34S. Studies of RNA methylation aided in confirming the identity of these ribosomal species. Unmethylated RNA species appeared as messenger RNA between 5S and 15S, and at about 55S probably represented heterodisperse nuclear RNA. When normal macrophages were incubated with heat-killed Salmonella enteritidis, an acceleration in the maturation of RNA was observed. The accelerated maturation was indicated by the earlier appearance of 28S rRNA and the more rapid development of an equilibrium state, where further labeling did not change the RNA profile. In macrophage RNA from mice immunized with S. enteritidis, rRNA species appeared rapidly but did not accumulate to the same extent as observed for normal macrophages. Precursor rRNA and other RNA species developed as usual, suggesting specific degradation of mature rRNA. Such rRNA wastage could indicate a mechanism controlling ribosome assembly in the non-proliferating activated macrophage. The pattern of RNA synthesis in immune macrophages was essentially unchanged by the presence of heat-killed S. enteritidis in vitro.