Decorin, but not fibronectin, protects macrophages from apoptosis induced by M-CSF starvation.

Macrophages from wild-type, p21^Waf1 knock-out, and p27^Kip1 knock-out mice cultured on plates precoated with BSA, decorin, or fibronectin were treated with 300 U/mL IFN-γ. The cells were then cultured in the absence of M-CSF for 24 hours. Apoptosis induced by M-CSF starvation was measured by ELISA, a method that detects fragmented histone-associated low-molecular-weight DNA. That is characteristic of the apoptotic process. Each point was made in triplicate, and the values are represented as the mean ± SD of 2 independent experiments.