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RNAase isolated from macrophage culture medium was labelled with 3H-acetic anhydride. The acetylation density of 1.8 acetyl residues/10(4) dalton RNAase was achieved. After just 5 mins' incubation of granulation-tissue slices with 3H-Ac-RNAase, the enzyme had entered fibroblasts, and after 20 min there was only slight increase of the radioactivity. After 1 h incubation 32% of the ingested RNAse was in the nuclei, 23% in the cytosol and about 2% in RER. After the same period of incubation with 3H-Ac-RNAase, 47% of nuclear RNA of the fibroblasts was lost, as compared with the control incubation, and the amount of cytosol RNA increased by about 40%. During a 3-h incubation, in low concentrations, the biologically active macrophage RNAase stimulated. 3H-thymidine incorporation into DNA of proliferative granulation-tissue slices. Thus it was concluded that the fibrogenic effect of the macrophage RNAase on the granulation-tissue fibroblasts takes place through the RNA metabolism and the main target of the enzyme in the fibroblasts is the nuclear RNA.

Decreased ribonuclease activity in the supernatant from silica-treated macrophages is associated with the enhanced protein synthesis in granulation-tissue slices incubated in this supernatant, and with the decreased degradation of polysomes in granuloma slices and of polysomes isolated from the granulation tissue. The phagocytized silica particles adsorb ribonuclease and perhaps other proteins and thus remove them from the macrophage supernatant.

A hypothesis is presented for the action of silica-treated macrophages on protein synthesis in fibroblasts and also a method for the isolation of silica-attached materials in lung tissue. The increased protein synthesis in the fibroblasts is due, at least partly, to an increase in mRNA. Silica prevents the suppressing "macrophage effect" of macrophage-originated ribonuclease on fibroblasts. However, under certain conditions, collagen synthesis is stimulated by silica-treated macrophage preparations to such an extent that the effect cannot be explained by the inhibition of macrophage ribonuclease alone. We therefore postulate the existence of a fibrogenic factor, which is released by the macrophages. This factor has been demonstrated and can be purified from lung homogenate of SiO2-treated rats.

Antiserum against the fibrogenesis controlling macrophage RNase was produced in rabbits. It caused an inhibition of 57% in the RNase activity in vitro. A distinct dose-response relationship was observed in the inhibiting effect of the antiserum on RNase-induced 3H-thymidine incorporation into cultured granulation-tissue fibroblasts. The antifibrogenic properties of the antiserum were also tested in vivo. Rat lungs were made silicotic by intratracheal administration of SiO2. This treatment clearly increased the following parameters: wet weight, DNA, RNA, nitrogen and hydroxyproline content of the lung tissue, and protein concentration, RNase activity, and cell count of the lung lavage fluid. Also, the RNase activity of the lavage fluid cells was increased. Periodical intratracheal administration of the anti-RNase antiserum, optimally at 1:1,000 dilution, decreased the DNA, RNA, and hydroxyproline content of the lung tissue, each by about 30%. The RNase activity of lavage fluid cells was decreased by about 60%. In conclusion the antiserum had no effect on the normal lungs, but it significantly suppressed the development of silicosis.

Two ribonuclease activities have been isolated from macrophage culture medium. SDS-electrophoresis gave a molecular weight of 26,000 for both RNAases. The two RNAases differ only slightly in their enzymic properties. They are optimally active at neutral and slightly alkaline pH, and are not activated by monovalent or divalent cations or by spermine. Cu(II), Zn(II), Mn(II) and heparine inactivate them but they are not affected by the RNAase inhibitor from rat liver. They both degrade RNA endonucleolytically to mono- and oligonucleotides. They react to synthetic polynucleotides, especially poly(C), but do not degrade the synthetic double-stranded RNA poly(I) . poly(C), or double or single-stranded DNA. RNAase 1 inhibits DNA synthesis and increases degradation of RNA in granulation-tissue fibroblasts but RNAase 2 at the same concentration does not have these effects.