A functional folate receptor is induced during macrophage activation and can be used to target drugs to activated macrophages

Wei Xia, Andrew R. Hilgenbrink, Eric L. Matteson, Michael B. Lockwood, Ji Xin Cheng, Philip S. Low

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

203 Scopus citations

Abstract

Previous work has demonstrated that a subset of macrophages expresses a folate receptor (FR) that can mediate internalization of folate-linked molecules, including imaging and therapeutic agents. To characterize this subset, macrophages were collected from peritoneal cavities of mice injected with saline, thioglycolate, zymosan, heat-killed or live bacteria, and cell-surface markers that coexpress with FR were identified. Virtually no F4/80+ peritoneal macrophages from saline-injected mice expressed FR, whereas numerous macrophages from mice injected with each inflammatory stimulus expressed FR. Examination of cell differentiation antigens that are up-regulated in FR+ macrophages revealed markers characteristic of an activated state (CD80, CD86, Ly-6C/G), whereas macrophages lacking these activation markers expressed few or no FR. FR+ macrophages also produced tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and reactive oxygen species, and production of reactive oxygen species correlated linearly with expression of FR. Synovial macrophages collected from arthritic patients were found to bind and internalize folate-linked dyes. Moreover, a folate-linked radioimaging agent was shown to image inflamed joints of rheumatoid arthritic patients. These results suggest that FR constitutes a marker for macrophage activation and that FR+ macrophages can be targeted with folate-linked drugs without promoting drug uptake by nonactivated macrophages. This trial was registered at www. clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT00588393.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)438-446
Number of pages9
JournalBlood
Volume113
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 8 2009

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biochemistry
  • Immunology
  • Hematology
  • Cell Biology

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