Catalytically Inactive Cyclooxygenase 2 and Absence of Prostaglandin E2 Biosynthesis in Murine Peritoneal Macrophages following In Vivo Phagocytosis of Heat-Killed Mycobacterium bovis Bacillus Calmette-Guérin

Abstract

Over 25 years ago, it was observed that peritoneal macrophages (Mφ) isolated from mice given heat-killed Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guérin (HK-BCG) i.p. did not release PGE2. However, when peritoneal Mφ from untreated mice are treated with HK-BCG in vitro, cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), a rate-limiting enzyme for PGE2 biosynthesis, is expressed and the release of PGE2 is increased. The present study of peritoneal Mφ obtained from C57BL/6 mice and treated either in vitro or in vivo with HK-BCG was undertaken to further characterize the cellular responses that result in suppression of PGE2 release. The results indicate that Mφ treated with HK-BCG in vivo express constitutive COX-1 and inducible COX-2 that are catalytically inactive, are localized subcellularly in the cytoplasm, and are not associated with the nuclear envelope (NE). In contrast, Mφ treated in vitro express catalytically active COX-1 and COX-2 that are localized in the NE and diffusely in the cytoplasm. Thus, for local Mφ activated in vivo by HK-BCG, the results indicate that COX-1 and COX-2 dissociated from the NE are catalytically inactive, which accounts for the lack of PGE2 production by local Mφ activated in vivo with HK-BCG. Our studies further indicate that the formation of catalytically inactive COX-2 is associated with in vivo phagocytosis of HK-BCG, and is not dependent on extracellular mediators produced by in vivo HK-BCG treatment. This attenuation of PGE2 production may enhance Mφ-mediated innate and Th1-acquired immune responses against intracellular infections which are suppressed by PGE2.