Interaction of HmC1q with leech microglial cells: involvement of C1qBP-related molecule in the induction of cell chemotaxis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In invertebrates, the medicinal leech is considered to be an interesting and appropriate model to study neuroimmune mechanisms. Indeed, this non-vertebrate animal can restore normal function of its central nervous system (CNS) after injury. Microglia accumulation at the damage site has been shown to be required for axon sprouting and for efficient regeneration. We characterized <it>Hm</it>C1q as a novel chemotactic factor for leech microglial cell recruitment. In mammals, a C1q-binding protein (C1qBP alias gC1qR), which interacts with the globular head of C1q, has been reported to participate in C1q-mediated chemotaxis of blood immune cells. In this study, we evaluated the chemotactic activities of a recombinant form of <it>Hm</it>C1q and its interaction with a newly characterized leech C1qBP that acts as its potential ligand.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Recombinant <it>Hm</it>C1q (r<it>Hm</it>C1q) was produced in the yeast <it>Pichia pastoris</it>. Chemotaxis assays were performed to investigate r<it>Hm</it>C1q-dependent microglia migration. The involvement of a C1qBP-related molecule in this chemotaxis mechanism was assessed by flow cytometry and with affinity purification experiments. The cellular localization of C1qBP mRNA and protein in leech was investigated using immunohistochemistry and <it>in situ </it>hybridization techniques.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>r<it>Hm</it>C1q-stimulated microglia migrate in a dose-dependent manner. This r<it>Hm</it>C1q-induced chemotaxis was reduced when cells were preincubated with either anti-<it>Hm</it>C1q or anti-human C1qBP antibodies. A C1qBP-related molecule was characterized in leech microglia.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>A previous study showed that recruitment of microglia is observed after <it>Hm</it>C1q release at the cut end of axons. Here, we demonstrate that r<it>Hm</it>C1q-dependent chemotaxis might be driven via a <it>Hm</it>C1q-binding protein located on the microglial cell surface. Taken together, these results highlight the importance of the interaction between C1q and C1qBP in microglial activation leading to nerve repair in the medicinal leech.</p

The recruitment properties of the microglial cells in injured central nervous system of the leech Hirudo medicinalis

Chez la sangsue médicinale, la réparation du système nerveux central (SNC) est conditionnée par le recrutement des cellules microgliales au niveau du site lésé. Deux facteurs chimioattractants, HmIL-16 et HmC1q, homologues à l’IL-16 et au C1q humains, ont été identifiés dans le SNC de la sangsue. Chez l’Homme, l’IL-16 est connue pour exercer une activité chimioattractante sur les cellules CD4+. Or, nos premiers tests in vitro ont montré (i) que la cytokine humaine recrute les cellules microgliales de sangsue et (ii) que HmIL-16 recrute les cellules CD4+ humaines. L’ensemble de ces données suggère la conservation d’une interaction fonctionnelle IL-16/CD4 chez la sangsue. Afin de confirmer cette hypothèse, une stratégie de purification du récepteur de HmIL-16 a été entreprise, suivie d'une caractérisation par spectrométrie de masse. Le C1q humain recrute les cellules immunitaires en se liant à deux récepteurs, le gC1qR et le cC1qR. Chez la sangsue, deux protéines, HmC1qBP et HmcC1qR, homologues aux récepteurs humains, ont été caractérisées dans le SNC. Afin de démontrer l’implication de ces récepteurs dans le recrutement microglial, des expériences d’immunohistochimie et de chimiotactisme ont été réalisées. Enfin, une stratégie de purification par affinité a permis de montrer l'interaction du C1q avec HmC1qBP et HmcC1qR. Le travail de thèse consiste à étudier les interactions moléculaires impliquées dans les processus de recrutement des cellules microgliales, intervenant à la suite d’une lésion du système nerveux de la sangsue. Les données acquises permettent de saisir les premiers mécanismes de la réponse microgliale, essentielle dans la réparation du SNC chez la sangsue.The leech has the capacity to regenerate its central nervous system (CNS) following injury. After damage, the microglial cells migrate and accumulate at the lesion site, and this phenomenon is essential for the CNS repair. Moreover, two chemoattractant factors, HmIL-16 and HmC1q, which are mammalian IL-16 and C1q homologous, were identified in the leech CNS. In vertebrates, the IL-16 active form can recruit the immune CD4+ cells. Interestingly, our first chemotaxis assays showed that (i) human IL-16 recruits leech microglial cells (ii) HmIL-16 can exert a chemotactic activity on human CD4+ T cells. Taken together, the in vitro assays suggest the conservation of functional IL-16/CD4 interaction in leech. To confirm this hypothesis, the affinity purification using HmIL-16 demonstrated the interaction with a CD4-related protein in leech CNS. The human C1q recruits the immune cells via an interaction with two receptors named gC1qR (or C1qBP) and cC1qR. In the leech CNS, two proteins, HmC1qBP and HmcC1qR, present a high degree of homology with these human C1q receptors. In order to demonstrate the HmC1qBP and HmcC1qR implications in the leech microglial cells HmC1q-mediated recruitment, some in vitro chemotaxis assays were performed. These analyses were completed with immunohistochemistry experiments performed on crushed nerve cords. Finally, using the human C1q, HmC1qBP and HmcC1qR were purified by affinity. The presented work specifies the molecular processes which are involved in the microglial recruitment following lesions in the leech CNS. The data could help to understand the early phase of this response leading to a complete and functional CNS repair in the leech