Effects of Activin A on the Activities of the Mouse Peritoneal Macrophages

摘要

＜正＞ Activin A is a kind of pre-inflammatory factor that belongs to the transforming growth factor-β（TGF-β）superfamily.To investigate the effect and mechanism of activin A on the activities of mouse macrophages,thesecretion of NO in the supernatant of cultured mouse peritoneal macrophages was examined by NO assay kit,andthe expression of iNOS,ActRIIA and ARIP2 mRNA in mouse peritoneal macrophages was analyzed by RT-PCR.The results showed that activin A stimulated the secretion of NO and the expression of iNOS mRNA innon-activated mouse macrophages in a time-and dose-dependent manner.In contrast,activin A in the sameconcentration inhibited the secretion of NO in LPS-activated mouse macrophages in a dose-dependent manner.ActRIIA was highly expressed on macrophages,and activin A upregulated the ActRIIA mRNA expression inmacrophages.Anti-ActRIIA antibody can block the secretion of NO from the macrophages stimulated by activin A.Furthermore,RT-PCR analysis revealed that activin A enhanced the ARIP2 mRNA expression in macrophages.These results indicated that Activin A may be a weak activator compared with LPS to mouse macrophages,andactivin A may modulate the secretion of NO through ActRIIA-ARIP2 signal pathway in mouse macrophages.Cellular ＆ Molecular Immunology.2005;2（1）:63-67.