Dose-dependent inhibitory effect of CD47 in macrophage uptake of IgG-opsonized murine erythrocytes

The cell surface glycoprotein CD47 on target cells can bind to the inhibitory receptor SIRPα on macrophages to inhibit phagocytosis of antibody sensitized blood cells. The aim of this study was to determine if CD47 dose-dependently can regulate macrophage uptake of IgG-opsonized RBCs. CD47+/− RBCs express about 50% of the CD47 level found on CD47+/+ RBCs. When injected into CD47+/+ mice, CD47+/− RBCs showed a significantly faster antibody-mediated clearance as compared with CD47+/+ RBCs injected into the same recipient. In vitro phagocytosis experiments confirmed that CD47+/− RBCs were taken up significantly more than CD47+/+ RBCs, but significantly less than CD47−/− RBCs. A reduction in RBC CD47 expression just below 50% of that in normal RBCs can significantly accelerate RBC clearance by macrophages in the presence of RBC autoantibodies. This may have relevance for transfusion of stored RBCs, where loss of CD47 is seen over time, and in clearance of these cells by antibody-dependent phagocytosis.