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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.

The penetration of five different mononuclear ribonucleases into the subcellular particles of rat experimental granulation-tissue fibroblasts was compared, along with the effects of the enzymes on the fibroblast RNA fractions. Ribonucleases from normal and silica-treated rat peritoneal macrophages have been shown before to regulate the nucleic acid and protein metabolism of rat experimental granulation-tissue fibroblasts. These biologically active enzymes were taken into the fibroblasts in a greater amount than the corresponding human monocyte enzymes and the biologically inactive rat macrophage ribonuclease. The biologically active macrophage enzymes were incorporated mainly into the nuclear fraction. The other three mononuclear ribonucleases were not found particularly in any subcellular compartment. Both biologically active macrophage enzymes degraded the nuclear RNA of fibroblasts and released it to the soluble fraction in contrast to the biologically inactive macrophage enzyme and ribonuclease from normal human monocytes. Instead the ribonuclease from normal human monocytes seemed to degrade RNA in the soluble fraction. There were no marked differences in the subcellular effects of ribonucleases from normal and silica-treated macrophages. However, the treatment of human monocytes with silica changed their ribonuclease so that it split the nuclear RNA of fibroblast and released it to the soluble fraction in the same way as the biologically active macrophage enzymes did.

The Mg2+-precipitable polysomes in experimental granulation tissue increase up to three weeks and decrease slowly thereafter. Polysomes from young granulation tissue are, on a weight basis, more active in cell-free protein synthesis than polysomes from old granulation tissue. RNase activity is highest in polysomes from 1-week tissue. The polysomes contain both acid and alkaline RNase, but the alkaline RNase is the latent form, manifested by the addition of p-chloromercuribenzoate (pCMB). The high RNase activity of granulation tissue renders the analysis of polysomal patterns and functions of the polysomes difficult. In the post-polysomal supernatant of granulation tissue the RNase activity is highest in 2-4 week old tissue; it is maximal at pH 7-8 and only slightly influenced by pCMB.

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.