2.5S nerve growth factor enhances survival, phagocytosis, and superoxide production of murine neutrophils

The effect of 2.5S nerve growth factor (NGF) on survival, phagocytosis, and superoxide production of murine neutrophils was examined and compared with the effects of interleukin-3 (IL-3) and recombinant GM colony-stimulating factor (rGM-CSF). NGF enhanced the viability of neutrophils isolated from peripheral blood and peritoneal cavity in a dose-dependent way. IL-3 50 U/mL had no effect. rGM-CSF 50 U/mL had an effect similar to that of 50 ng/mL NGF. NGF also enhanced the phagocytosis of hydrophilic microspheres by peritoneal neutrophils, and the activity of NGF was greater than that of IL-3 or rGM-CSF. NGF enhanced the superoxide production induced by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), which acts at postreceptor sites, and that induced by opsonized zymosan, a receptor-mediated ligand. The stimulating activity of NGF was largely comparable to that of rGM-CSF. The present data show that NGF bound to neutrophils enhances their survival, phagocytosis, and superoxide production. Thus, we postulate that NGF plays an important role in the inflammatory processes.