Fc- and non-Fc-mediated phagocytosis of Borrelia burgdorferi by macrophages. J Infect Dis 1994 Oct;170(4):890-3
Date
10/01/1994Pubmed ID
7930732DOI
10.1093/infdis/170.4.890Scopus ID
2-s2.0-0028086479 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 42 CitationsAbstract
The Fc receptor (FcR) for immunoglobulin has been assigned a major role in the ingestion of Borrelia burgdorferi, the Lyme disease spirochete, by macrophages. Yet macrophages readily take up and kill B. burgdorferi that have not been opsonized. By use of doubly-labeled macrophages infected with spirochetes and analyzed by confocal fluorescence microscopy, simultaneous localization of both FcR and spirochetes (opsonized and unopsonized) was quantified. After infection with unopsonized spirochetes, bacterial surface antigen and the FcR remained distinct, confirming the expectation that unopsonized uptake of B. burgdorferi is largely independent of the FcR. A similar lack of colocalization was seen when opsonized spirochetes were ingested by macrophages whose FcRs were sequestered by an immune complex-coated substrate. Furthermore, comparable efficiency of uptake was observed whether or not the FcR was engaged.
Author List
Montgomery RR, Nathanson MH, Malawista SEAuthor
Robert R. Montgomery MD Adjunct Professor in the Pediatrics department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AnimalsBorrelia burgdorferi Group
Cell Line
Fluorescent Antibody Technique
Kinetics
Lyme Disease
Macrophages
Mice
Microscopy, Fluorescence
Phagocytosis
Receptors, Fc
Time Factors
