Actin dynamics rapidly reset chemoattractant receptor sensitivity following adaptation in neutrophils.

Neutrophils are cells of the innate immune system that hunt and kill pathogens using directed migration. This process, known as chemotaxis, requires the regulation of actin polymerization downstream of chemoattractant receptors. Reciprocal interactions between actin and intracellular signals are thought to underlie many of the sophisticated signal processing capabilities of the chemotactic cascade including adaptation, amplification and long-range inhibition. However, with existing tools, it has been difficult to discern actin's role in these processes. Most studies investigating the role of the actin cytoskeleton have primarily relied on actin-depolymerizing agents, which not only block new actin polymerization but also destroy the existing cytoskeleton. We recently developed a combination of pharmacological inhibitors that stabilizes the existing actin cytoskeleton by inhibiting actin polymerization, depolymerization and myosin-based rearrangements; we refer to these processes collectively as actin dynamics. Here, we investigated how actin dynamics influence multiple signalling responses (PI3K lipid products, calcium and Pak phosphorylation) following acute agonist addition or during desensitization. We find that stabilized actin polymer extends the period of receptor desensitization following agonist binding and that actin dynamics rapidly reset receptors from this desensitized state. Spatial differences in actin dynamics may underlie front/back differences in agonist sensitivity in neutrophils

Actin dynamics rapidly reset chemoattractant receptor sensitivity following adaptation in neutrophils.

Neutrophils are cells of the innate immune system that hunt and kill pathogens using directed migration. This process, known as chemotaxis, requires the regulation of actin polymerization downstream of chemoattractant receptors. Reciprocal interactions between actin and intracellular signals are thought to underlie many of the sophisticated signal processing capabilities of the chemotactic cascade including adaptation, amplification and long-range inhibition. However, with existing tools, it has been difficult to discern actin's role in these processes. Most studies investigating the role of the actin cytoskeleton have primarily relied on actin-depolymerizing agents, which not only block new actin polymerization but also destroy the existing cytoskeleton. We recently developed a combination of pharmacological inhibitors that stabilizes the existing actin cytoskeleton by inhibiting actin polymerization, depolymerization and myosin-based rearrangements; we refer to these processes collectively as actin dynamics. Here, we investigated how actin dynamics influence multiple signalling responses (PI3K lipid products, calcium and Pak phosphorylation) following acute agonist addition or during desensitization. We find that stabilized actin polymer extends the period of receptor desensitization following agonist binding and that actin dynamics rapidly reset receptors from this desensitized state. Spatial differences in actin dynamics may underlie front/back differences in agonist sensitivity in neutrophils

Myomegalin is a novel protein of the Golgi/centrosome that interacts with a cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase

Subcellular targeting of the components of the cAMPdependent pathway is thought to be essential for intracellular signaling. Here we have identified a novel protein, named myomegalin, that interacts with the cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase PDE4D, thereby targeting it to particulate structures. Myomegalin is a large 2,324-amino acid protein mostly composed of -helical and coiled-coil structures, with domains shared with microtubule-associated proteins, and a leucine zipper identical to that found in the Drosophila centrosomin. Transcripts of 7.5–8 kilobases were present in most tissues, whereas a short mRNA of 2.4 kilobases was detected only in rat testis. A third splicing variant was expressed predominantly in rat heart. Antibodies against the deduced sequence recognized particulate myomegalin proteins of 62 kDa in testis and 230–250 kDa in heart and skeletal muscle. Immunocytochemistry and transfection studies demonstrate colocalization of PDE4D and myomegalin in the Golgi/centrosomal area of cultured cells, and in sarcomeric structures of skeletal muscle. Myomegalin expressed in COS-7 cells coimmunoprecipitated with PDE4D3 and sequestered it to particulate structures. These findings indicate that myomegalin is a novel protein that functions as an anchor to localize components of the cAMP-dependent pathway to the Golgi/centrosomal region of the cell

Synthetic control of mammalian-cell motility by engineering chemotaxis to an orthogonal bioinert chemical signal.

Directed migration of diverse cell types plays a critical role in biological processes ranging from development and morphogenesis to immune response, wound healing, and regeneration. However, techniques to direct, manipulate, and study cell migration in vitro and in vivo in a specific and facile manner are currently limited. We conceived of a strategy to achieve direct control over cell migration to arbitrary user-defined locations, independent of native chemotaxis receptors. Here, we show that genetic modification of cells with an engineered G protein-coupled receptor allows us to redirect their migration to a bioinert drug-like small molecule, clozapine-N-oxide (CNO). The engineered receptor and small-molecule ligand form an orthogonal pair: The receptor does not respond to native ligands, and the inert drug does not bind to native cells. CNO-responsive migration can be engineered into a variety of cell types, including neutrophils, T lymphocytes, keratinocytes, and endothelial cells. The engineered cells migrate up a gradient of the drug CNO and transmigrate through endothelial monolayers. Finally, we demonstrate that T lymphocytes modified with the engineered receptor can specifically migrate in vivo to CNO-releasing beads implanted in a live mouse. This technology provides a generalizable genetic tool to systematically perturb and control cell migration both in vitro and in vivo. In the future, this type of migration control could be a valuable module for engineering therapeutic cellular devices

Synthetic control of mammalian-cell motility by engineering chemotaxis to an orthogonal bioinert chemical signal.

Directed migration of diverse cell types plays a critical role in biological processes ranging from development and morphogenesis to immune response, wound healing, and regeneration. However, techniques to direct, manipulate, and study cell migration in vitro and in vivo in a specific and facile manner are currently limited. We conceived of a strategy to achieve direct control over cell migration to arbitrary user-defined locations, independent of native chemotaxis receptors. Here, we show that genetic modification of cells with an engineered G protein-coupled receptor allows us to redirect their migration to a bioinert drug-like small molecule, clozapine-N-oxide (CNO). The engineered receptor and small-molecule ligand form an orthogonal pair: The receptor does not respond to native ligands, and the inert drug does not bind to native cells. CNO-responsive migration can be engineered into a variety of cell types, including neutrophils, T lymphocytes, keratinocytes, and endothelial cells. The engineered cells migrate up a gradient of the drug CNO and transmigrate through endothelial monolayers. Finally, we demonstrate that T lymphocytes modified with the engineered receptor can specifically migrate in vivo to CNO-releasing beads implanted in a live mouse. This technology provides a generalizable genetic tool to systematically perturb and control cell migration both in vitro and in vivo. In the future, this type of migration control could be a valuable module for engineering therapeutic cellular devices

A chemokine receptor CCR-1 antagonist reduces renal fibrosis after unilateral ureter ligation

The expression of chemokines and their receptors is thought to contribute to leukocyte infiltration and progressive renal fibrosis after unilateral ureter obstruction (UUO). We hypothesized that blocking the chemokine receptor CCR1 using the nonpeptide antagonist BX471 could reduce leukocyte infiltration and renal fibrosis after UUO. UUO kidneys from BX471-treated mice (day 0–10 and day 6–10) revealed a 40–60% reduction of interstitial macrophage and lymphocyte infiltrate compared with controls. Treated mice also showed a marked reduction of CCR1 and CCR5 mRNA levels, and FACS analysis showed a comparable reduction of CD8(+)/CCR5(+) T cells. Markers of renal fibrosis, such as interstitial fibroblasts, interstitial volume, mRNA and protein expression for collagen I, were all significantly reduced by BX471-treatment compared with vehicle controls. By contrast treatment was ineffective when the drug was supplied only from days 0 to 5. In summary, blockade of CCR1 substantially reduces cell accumulation and renal fibrosis after UUO. Most interestingly, late onset of treatment is also effective. We therefore conclude that CCR1 blockade may represent a new therapeutic strategy for reducing cellular infiltration and renal fibrosis as major factors in the progression to end-stage renal failure

The first World Cell Race

In Authors: WCR participants World Wide, listed in Supplemental InformationInternational audienceMotility is a common property of animal cells. Cell motility is required for embryogenesis [1], tissue morphogenesis [2] and the immune response [3] but is also involved in disease processes, such as metastasis of cancer cells [4]. Analysis of cell migration in native tissue in vivo has yet to be fully explored, but motility can be relatively easily studied in vitro in isolated cells. Recent evidence suggests that cells plated in vitro on thin lines of adhesive proteins printed onto culture dishes can recapitulate many features of in vivo migration on collagen fibers [5,6]. However, even with controlled in vitro measurements, the characteristics of motility are diverse and are dependent on the cell type, origin and external cues. One objective of the first World Cell Race was to perform a large-scale comparison of motility across many different adherent cell types under standardized conditions. To achieve a diverse selection, we enlisted the help of many international laboratories, who submitted cells for analysis. The large-scale analysis, made feasible by this competition-oriented collaboration, demonstrated that higher cell speed correlates with the persistence of movement in the same direction irrespective of cell origin