The novel subset of CD14+/CD16+ blood monocytes exhibits features of tissue macrophages

The CD14+/CD16+ cells account for about 10 % of all blood monocytes. They are characterized by a low level expression of the CD14 molecule and a high level expression of the CD16 (FcγR III) molecule. Polymerase chain reaction analysis of mRNA prevalence in CD14+/CD16+ cells (compared to the regular CD14+ + blood monocytes) demonstrates low levels of CD14 transcripts and high levels of CD16 transcripts, suggestive of a transcriptional control for both of these proteins. Analysis of additional cell surface molecules in three‐color immunofluorescence reveals that CD14+/CD16+ cells express the FcγR II in all, and FcγR I and ICAM‐1 in some donors. Furthermore, class II antigens are expressed at fourfold higher levels, while both, CD11b and CD33 cell surface proteins, are decreased by a factor of two. Transcript levels were reduced in CD14+/CD16+ cells for all three cell surface molecules. Since these phenotypic markers of the CD14+/CD16+ blood monocytes are reminiscent of tissue macrophages, we performed a comparative analysis with alveolar macrophages (AM). These cells are similar to the CD14+/CD16+ monocytes in that they show low levels of CD14 and strong expression of CD16. Furthermore, similar to the CD14+/CD16+ cells, the AM also exhibit higher levels of class II and lower levels of CD11b and CD33 when compared to the regular CD14++ blood monocytes.

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