Nonopsonic phagocytosis of Mycobacterium kansasii by human neutrophils depends on cholesterol and is mediated by CR3 associated with glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins

Receptors involved in the phagocytosis of microorganisms under nonopsonic conditions have been little studied in neutrophils. Complement receptor type 3 (CR3) is a pattern recognition receptor able to internalize zymosan and C3bi-coated particles. We report that Abs directed against CR3 strongly inhibited nonopsonic phagocytosis of Mycobacterium kansasii in human neutrophils, In these cells CR3 has been found associated with several GPI-anchored proteins localized in cholesterol-rich microdomains (rafts) of the plasma membrane. Cholesterol sequestration by nystatin, filipin, or beta -cyclodextrin as well as treatment of neutrophils with phosphatidylinositol phospholipase C to remove GPI-anchored proteins from the cell surface markedly inhibited phagocytosis of hi. kansasii, without affecting phagocytosis of zymosan or serum-opsonized iM, kansasii, Abs directed against several GPI-anchored proteins inhibited phagocytosis of M. kansasii, but not of zymosan. N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, which is known to disrupt interactions between CR3 and GPI proteins, also strongly diminished phagocytosis of these mycobacteria, In conclusion, phagocytosis of M, kansasii involved CR3, GPI-anchored receptors, and cholesterol. In contrast, phagocytosis of zymosan or opsonized particles involved CR3, but not cholesterol or GPI proteins. We propose that CR3, when associated with a GPI protein, relocates in cholesterol-rich domains where iM. kansasii are internalized, When CR3 is not associated with a GPI protein, it remains outside of these domains and mediates phagocytosis of zymosan and opsonized particles, but not of M, kartsasii.