Effects of parachlorophenol and camphorated parachlorophenol on the phagocytic activities of a murine macrophage cell line (RAW264.7)

The aim of this study was to determine whether the phagocytic functions of a murine macrophage cell line (RAW264.7 cells) may be altered by parachlorophenol (PCP) and camphorated parachlorophenol (CMCP). The adherence capacities of PCP- or CMCP-treated cells on plastic surfaces were much lower than those of untreated cells. When the PCP-or CMCP-treated cells were incubated with Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, phagocytosis of these cells was significantly reduced in a dose-dependent fashion compared with that of untreated cells. Preactivation with bacterial lipopolysaccharide on PCP- or CMCP-treated cells failed to completely restore the phagocytosis of this periodontopathogen. The phagocytic functions of PCP- or CMCP-treated cells to this periodontopathogen opsonized with anti-A. actinomycetemcomitans were also reduced compared with those of untreated cells but were comparable with those of untreated cells incubated with unopsonized bacteria. The results of this study indicated, therefore, that both PCP and CMCP may, indeed, reduce the phagocytic activities of murine macrophages.