Gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR) mediates chemotaxis in neutrophils

Neutrophil migration to inflamed sites is crucial for both the initiation of inflammation and resolution of infection, yet these cells are involved in perpetuation of different chronic inflammatory diseases. Gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) is a neuropeptide that acts through G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) involved in signal transmission in both central and peripheral nervous systems. Its receptor, gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR), is expressed by various cell types, and it is overexpressed in cancer cells. RC-3095 is a selective GRPR antagonist, recently found to have antiinflammatory properties in arthritis and sepsis models. Here we demonstrate that i.p. injection of GRP attracts neutrophils in 4 h, and attraction is blocked by RC-3095. Macrophage depletion or neutralization of TNF abrogates GRP-induced neutrophil recruitment to the peritoneum. In vitro, GRP-induced neutrophil migration was dependent on PLC- β2, PI3K, ERK, p38 and independent of Gαi protein, and neutrophil migration toward synovial fluid of arthritis patients was inhibited by treatment with RC-3095.We propose that GRPR is an alternative chemotactic receptor that may play a role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory disorders

Papel do HEME (Ferro protoporfirina IX) na Resposta Inflamatória: mecanismos moleculares envolvidos no recrutamento de neutrófilos

Heme (Iron Protoporphyrin IX), a ubiquitous molecule present in organisms of all kingdoms, is composed of an atom of iron linked to the four ligand groups of porphyrin. As a prosthetic moiety on inactive apo-heme proteins, heme provides a wide range of biological functions determined in part by the polypeptide associated to it. Diseases of increased hemolysis or extensive cell damage can lead to high levels of free heme, as sickle cell anemia, malaria, hemorrhagic fevers, and sepsis. Heme induces oxidative stress and has several proinflammatory activities. A hallmark of the inflammatory response is the recruitment of leukocytes out of the vasculature to tissues. Heme seems to affect this process in several ways: a) inducing cell adhesion molecule expression on endothelial cells in vitro or in vivo; b) increasing vascular permeability; c) enhancing chemokine expression and secretion; d) inducing migration of leukocytes in vivo and in vitro. The mechanism by which heme activates cells of the innate immune system causing inflammation is not fully characterized. We have recently observed that heme activates macrophages through TLR-4. Considering that heme induces neutrophil migration in vitro, we hypothesize that heme has a direct chemotactic effect on this leukocyte through activation of a G protein coupled receptor. In the present work we show that heme induces neutrophil migration in vivo and in vitro and stimulates the secretion of the inflammatory cytokines, IL-6 and TNF-a, in a dose-dependent fashion. Blood, hemoglobin and diverse heme analogs are also able to induce neutrophil recruitment. In contrast, biliverdin and mesoporphyrins are not efficient to recruit neutrophil and mesoporphyrin treatment in vivo inhibits the heme-induced neutrophil migration. Finally, the chemotactic effect of heme was abolished by pertussis toxin treatment in vitro . Taken together, these results suggest that heme induces neutrophil chemotaxis by activation of a G protein coupled receptor.Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e TecnológicoHeme (Ferro Protoporfirina IX), uma molécula ubíqua presente em organismos de todos os reinos, é composta de um átomo de ferro ligado a um anel tetrapirrólico. Como grupamento prostético de apoproteínas inativas, o heme desempenha várias funções biológicas determinadas em parte pelo polipeptídeo associado a ele. Doenças de hemólise elevada ou dano celular extensivo podem levar a altos níveis de heme livre , como a anemia falciforme, malária, febres hemorrágicas e sepse. O heme induz estresse oxidativo e tem diversas propriedades próinflamatórias. Uma das principais características da resposta inflamatória é o recrutamento de leucócitos da vasculatura para os tecidos. O heme parece afetar este processo de muitas maneiras: a) induzindo a expressão de moléculas de adesão em células endoteliais in vitro ou in vivo; b) aumentando a permeabilidade vascular; c) aumentando a expressão e secreção de quimiocinas; d) induzindo a migração de leucócitos in vivo e in vitro. O mecanismo pelo qual o heme ativa as células do sistema imune inato causando inflamação não é totalmente compreendido. Nós recentemente observamos que o heme ativa macrófagos através do TLR-4. Considerando que o heme induz a migração de neutrófilos in vitro, nós hipotetizamos que o heme tenha um efeito quimiotático direto sobre este leucócito através da ativação de um receptor acoplado a proteína G. Nós mostramos que o heme induz a migração de neutrófilos in vivo e in vitro e estimula a secreção de citocinas de forma dose-dependente. Sangue, hemoglobina e diversos análogos do heme apresentam uma capacidade semelhante em recrutar neutrófilos in vivo. Por outro lado, a biliverdina e as mesoporfirinas não são eficientes em recrutar neutrófilos e o tratamento com mesoporfirina in vivo inibe o efeito do heme sobre o recrutamento. Finalmente, o efeito quimiotático do heme foi revertido com o uso de toxina pertussis. Tomados em conjunto, estes resultados sugerem que o heme induza a quimiotaxia de neutrófilos através da ativação de um receptor acoplado a proteína G

Neutrophil Extracellular Traps in Pulmonary Diseases: Too Much of a Good Thing?

Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) arise from the release of granular and nuclear contents of neutrophils in the extracellular space in response to different classes of microorganisms, soluble factors and host molecules. NETs are composed by decondensed chromatin fibers coated with antimicrobial granular and cytoplasmic proteins, such as myeloperoxidase, neutrophil elastase, and α-defensins. Besides being expressed on NET fibers, neutrophil elastase and myeloperoxidase also regulate NET formation. Furthermore, histone deimination by peptidylarginine deiminase 4 (PAD4) is a central step to NET formation. NET formation has been widely demonstrated to be an effective mechanism to fight against invading microorganisms, as deficiency in NET release or dismantling NET backbone by bacterial DNases render the host susceptible to infections. Therefore, the primary role of NETs is to prevent microbial dissemination, avoiding overwhelming infections. However, an excess of NET formation has a dark side. The pathogenic role of NETs has been described for many human diseases, infectious and non-infectious. The detrimental effect of excessive NET release is particularly important to lung diseases, because NETs can expand more easily in the pulmonary alveoli, causing lung injury. Moreover, NETs and its associated molecules are able to directly induce epithelial and endothelial cell death. In this regard, massive NET formation has been reported in several pulmonary diseases, including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis, respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis, influenza, bacterial pneumonia, and tuberculosis, among others. Thus, NET formation must be tightly regulated in order to avoid NET-mediated tissue damage. Recent development of therapies targeting NETs in pulmonary diseases includes DNA disintegration with recombinant human DNase, neutralization of NET proteins, with anti-histone antibodies and protease inhibitors. In this review, we summarize the recent knowledge on the pathophysiological role of NETs in pulmonary diseases as well as some experimental and clinical approaches to modulate their detrimental effects

Gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR) mediates chemotaxis in neutrophils

Neutrophil migration to inflamed sites is crucial for both the initiation of inflammation and resolution of infection, yet these cells are involved in perpetuation of different chronic inflammatory diseases. Gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) is a neuropeptide that acts through G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) involved in signal transmission in both central and peripheral nervous systems. Its receptor, gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR), is expressed by various cell types, and it is overexpressed in cancer cells. RC-3095 is a selective GRPR antagonist, recently found to have antiinflammatory properties in arthritis and sepsis models. Here we demonstrate that i.p. injection of GRP attracts neutrophils in 4 h, and attraction is blocked by RC-3095. Macrophage depletion or neutralization of TNF abrogates GRP-induced neutrophil recruitment to the peritoneum. In vitro, GRP-induced neutrophil migration was dependent on PLC- β2, PI3K, ERK, p38 and independent of Gαi protein, and neutrophil migration toward synovial fluid of arthritis patients was inhibited by treatment with RC-3095.We propose that GRPR is an alternative chemotactic receptor that may play a role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory disorders

Evaluation of both neutrophil migration and the relative frequency of CD4+/CD8+ limphocytes in children with Down syndrome and controls

Aims: To evaluate neutrophil migration and the relative frequency of CD4+/CD8+ lymphocytes in children with Down syndrome and in healthy controls. Methods: This was a case-control study carried out at the Institute of Biomedical Research, affiliated with São Lucas Hospital of the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS). Patients with Down syndrome were selected by convenience sampling, including all children with Down syndrome aged 3 to 13 years treated at the Pediatric and Otolaryngology Outpatient Clinics of São Lucas Hospital and at Kinder – Center for Children with Special Needs, in Porto Alegre, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, between January and December 2012. Healthy children without Down syndrome, participants in another ongoing study conducted by Institute of Biomedical Research, were recruited to the control group. Those patients with the largest volume of cells stored in cryotubes were selected. A neutrophil chemotaxis assay and immunophenotyping of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were performed to evaluate the functionality of the immune response. Associations were assessed by the chi-squared test, Student’s t test, or Mann-Whitney’s test. All tests were bidirectional, and p values less than 0.05 were regarded as statistically significant. Results: This study included 19 patients (13 with Down syndrome and six controls), with a mean age of 8.13 and 9.83 years, respectively. No significant changes concerning neutrophil migration were observed in the Down syndrome group. However, patients with Down syndrome tended to have a lower rate of CD4+ T cells and a higher rate of CD8+ T cells. The CD4+/CD8+ ratio revealed significant difference between the groups, being lower in patients with Down syndrome. Conclusions: This study suggests that patients with Down syndrome show a decreased CD4+/CD8+ ratio, which may contribute to the frequent and recurrent infections in these children