Expression and intracellular localization of the human N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanine amidase, a bacterial cell wall-degrading enzyme.

N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanine amidase (NAMLAA) specifically degrades peptidoglycan, which is a major component of bacterial cell walls with strong inflammatory properties. For instance, peptidoglycan is capable of stimulating peripheral blood cells to release pro-inflammatory cytokines and is capable of inducing chronic arthritis in an animal model. In a previous study we found that degradation of peptidoglycan by purified NAMLAA reduced its inflammatory effects. To determine where NAMLAA is located in tissues, monoclonal antibodies against purified NAMLAA were produced for use in immunohistochemistry, immunoelectron microscopy, flow cytometric analysis, and Western blotting. The immunohistochemical studies showed NAMLAA-positive cells in human spleen, liver, arthritic synovial tissues, and lymph nodes. In flow cytometric studies of blood and bone marrow, neutrophilic and eosinophilic granulocytes proved to be positive. Monocytes were negative, although they do contain lysozyme, the other important peptidoglycan-degrading enzyme. However, mature macrophages obtained by bronchoalveolar lavage and subsequent selection based on autofluorescence did possess NAMLAA. In immunocytochemical staining of blood smears, thrombocytes were also positive for NAMLAA. Western blot analysis and immunoelectron microscopy of neutrophils and eosinophils showed that NAMLAA is located in azurophilic granules of neutrophils and in secretory vesicles and crystalloid-containing granules of eosinophils. Flow cytometric analysis of blood and bone marrow from different French-American-British-classified acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients showed that AML-M2 myeloblasts were the first in the granulocyte maturation lineage that were positive for NAMLAA. The more immature AML, such as AML-M0 and AML-M1, did not express NAMLAA. CD15- and CD13-negative megakaryoblasts, corresponding to AML-M7, were also positive for NAMLAA. The expression pattern of NAMLAA in the myeloid lineage suggests that the monoclonal antibody AAA4, recognizing NAMLAA, is useful for discrimination between AML in the monocyte lineage and in the granulocyte lineage.