Microtubule Asymmetry during Neutrophil Polarization and Migration

The development of cell polarity in response to chemoattractant stimulation in human polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) is characterized by the rapid conversion from round to polarized morphology with a leading lamellipod at the front and a uropod at the rear. During PMN polarization, the microtubule (MT) array undergoes a dramatic reorientation toward the uropod that is maintained during motility and does not require large-scale MT disassembly or cell adhesion to the substratum. MTs are excluded from the leading lamella during polarization and motility, but treatment with a myosin light chain kinase inhibitor (ML-7) or the actin-disrupting drug cytochalasin D causes an expansion of the MT array and penetration of MTs into the lamellipod. Depolymerization of the MT array before stimulation caused 10% of the cells to lose their polarity by extending two opposing lateral lamellipodia. These multipolar cells showed altered localization of a leading lamella-specific marker, talin, and a uropod-specific marker, CD44. In summary, these results indicate that F-actin– and myosin II-dependent forces lead to the development and maintenance of MT asymmetry that may act to reinforce cell polarity during PMN migration

"In vivo" leukocyte chemotaxis in experimental mice Schistosoma mansoni infection

The "in vivo" chemotaxis was studied in C57B1/10 mice 10, 30, 50 and 60 days after a Schistosoma mansoni infection in comparison to a control group (uninfected mice). Staphylococcal protein A was injected into a connective tissue air pouch of control and experimental mice and the leukocyte chemotaxis was counted. A decrease in polymorphonuclear (PMN) leukocyte response was found in infected mice in comparison to the control group (pA quimiotaxia de leucócitos "in vivo" foi avaliada em camundongos da linhagem C57B1/10 e estudada 10, 30, 50 e 60 dias após a infecção por Schistosoma mansoni. A proteína A foi utilizada como quimiotático e injetada no tecido conjuntivo no dorso dos camundongos dos grupos experimentais e controle. Nos grupos experimentais foi observado uma diminuição na resposta dos leucócitos polimorfonucleares (PMN) em comparação com o grupo controle (p<0.05). Os camundongos estudados 10 dias após a infecção, mostraram uma diminuição na resposta quimiotática de leucócitos PMN, comparando com o grupo controle (p<0.05) e este dado tornou-se mais evidente nos grupos experimentais estudados 30 e 50 dias após a infecção. Apesar da resposta quimiotática dos leucócitos PMN nos camundongos estudados 60 dias após a infecção aumentarem em comparação aos animais analisados 50 dias após a infecção, este aumento foi bem menor em relação ao grupo controle. A resposta quimiotática dos mononucleares não apresentou diferença significativa entre camundongos experimentais e controle