Phagocytosis of apoptotic neutrophils does not induce macrophage release of thromboxane B2

Abstract

Senescent human neutrophils undergo programmed cell death (apoptosis), leading to their recognition and phagocytosis by mature macrophages. At inflamed sites in vivo these processes may represent a neutrophil removal mechanism with the potential to limit the histotoxic capacity of these cells. Phagocytosis can provoke marked proinflammatory responses by macrophages. A macrophage proinflammatory response to the ingestion of apoptotic neutrophils would limit the efficacy of this neutrophil removal mechanism as a component of inflammatory resolution. In the present study we examined two macrophage proinflammatory responses; secretion of the granule enzyme N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) and ..