Macrophage membrane potential changes associated with gamma 2b/gamma 1 Fc receptor-ligand binding.

We have studied the effects of specific ligands of the receptor for the IgG Fc fragment (FcR) on the membrane potential (delta psi) of the macrophage cell line J774 by the [3H]tetraphenylphosphonium ion equilibration technique. We observe a membrane depolarization with binding of FcR ligands that is dependent on the degree of receptor crosslinking. Binding of the FcR by monovalent ligands is not sufficient to induce a significant drop in delta psi, but a sustained depolarization lasting approximately equal to 20 min occurs with insoluble multivalent ligands. This FcR-mediated depolarization can be inhibited by substitution of Na+ from the cell incubation medium with monovalent choline cation, indicating that depolarization is due to Na+ influx into the cell. The extracellular Ca2+ does not play a significant role in membrane depolarization. The depolarization response is not triggered by monoclonal antibodies directed against three other major macrophage surface antigens. The cell depolarization mediated by FcR ligands is followed by a prolonged hyperpolarization that can be partially blocked by ouabain and quinine, indicating that the hyperpolarization response is a result of a combination of a Na+,K+-ATPase activity and a Ca2+-activated K+ conductance. These data support our hypothesis that the mouse macrophage IgG FcR is a ligand-dependent ion channel.