Macrophage activation for intracellular killing as induced by a Ca2+ ionophore. Dependence on L-arginine-derived nitrogen oxidation products.

Mouse macrophages activated by interferon-gamma kill intracellular Leishmania by a process that depends on the generation of L-arginine-derived nitrogen oxidation products. Interferon-induced intracellular killing can be mimicked by exposure of macrophages to the Ca2+ ionophore A23187 in the presence of lipopolysaccharide. The mechanisms of this effect were therefore investigated. Destruction of the parasite was accompanied by accumulation of nitrite in the macrophage culture fluids. Leishmanicidal activity and nitrite production in cultures stimulated with ionophore A23187 and lipopolysaccharide were abrogated when cells were activated in medium containing arginase or the L-arginine analogues L-canavanine, guanidine or NG-monomethyl-L-arginine. L-Arginine was required during the lipopolysaccharide-induced triggering phase only. Indeed, macrophage priming with ionophore A23187 in L-arginine-depleted medium led to full microbicidal activity and nitrite generation provided that L-arginine was present during subsequent triggering by lipopolysaccharide. Addition of NG-monomethyl-L-arginine to ionophore-activated macrophages increased O2- production on phorbol myristate stimulation, while inhibiting glucose oxidation through the hexose monophosphate shunt pathway. Leishmanicidal activity and nitrite production were also inhibited when ionophore-treated cultures were incubated with excess iron, implying a role for iron as a defence mechanism against the toxicity of nitrogen derivatives. These results indicate that the ionophore-induced leishmanicidal activity occurs through a process similar to that evoked by interferon-gamma, i.e. the production of L-arginine-derived nitrogen oxidation products.