Protein kinase D regulates cofilin activity through p21-activated kinase 4

Dynamic reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton at the leading edge is required for directed cell migration. Cofilin, a small actin-binding protein with F-actin severing activities, is a key enzyme initiating such actin remodeling processes. Cofilin activity is tightly regulated by phosphorylation and dephosphorylation events that are mediated by LIM kinase (LIMK) and the phosphatase slingshot (SSH), respectively. Protein kinase D (PKD) is a serine/threonine kinase that inhibits actin-driven directed cell migration by phosphorylation and inactivation of SSH. Here, we show that PKD can also regulate LIMK through direct phosphorylation and activation of its upstream kinase p21-activated kinase 4 (PAK4). Therefore, active PKD increases the net amount of phosphorylated inactive cofilin in cells through both pathways. The regulation of cofilin activity at multiple levels may explain the inhibitory effects of PKD on barbed end formation as well as on directed cell migration.     

Protein Kinase D Isoforms Differentially Modulate Cofilin-Driven Directed Cell Migration

Background

Protein kinase D (PKD) enzymes regulate cofilin-driven actin reorganization and directed cell migration through both p21-activated kinase 4 (PAK4) and the phosphatase slingshot 1L (SSH1L). The relative contributions of different endogenous PKD isoforms to both signaling pathways have not been elucidated, sufficiently.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We here analyzed two cell lines (HeLa and MDA-MB-468) that express the subtypes protein kinase D2 (PKD2) and protein kinase D3 (PKD3). We show that under normal growth conditions both isoforms can form a complex, in which PKD3 is basally-active and PKD2 is inactive. Basal activity of PKD3 mediates PAK4 activity and downstream signaling, but does not significantly inhibit SSH1L. This signaling constellation was required for facilitating directed cell migration. Activation of PKD2 and further increase of PKD3 activity leads to additional phosphorylation and inhibition of endogenous SSH1L. Net effect is a dramatic increase in phospho-cofilin and a decrease in cell migration, since now both PAK4 and SSH1L are regulated by the active PKD2/PKD3 complex.

Conclusions/Significance

Our data suggest that PKD complexes provide an interface for both cofilin regulatory pathways. Dependent on the activity of involved PKD enzymes signaling can be balanced to guarantee a functional cofilin activity cycle and increase cell migration, or imbalanced to decrease cell migration. Our data also provide an explanation of how PKD isoforms mediate different effects on directed cell migration.     

Neuregulin induces HaCaT keratinocyte migration via Rac1-mediated NADPH-oxidase activation

Neuregulin (NRG), a member of the epidermal growth factor family, plays important roles in the development of the nervous system and heart, and in cancer progression. Recent reports have suggested that NRG is involved in wound healing in keratinocytes, although the cellular mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we showed that NRG treatment increased slingshot-1L (SSH-1L)-mediated cofilin dephosphorylation and activation in HaCaT keratinocytes. Additionally, Rac1 activation and NADPH-oxidase (Nox)-dependent reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, both known to be upstream regulators of the SSH-cofilin pathway, were increased in NRG-stimulated HaCaT cells. Inhibition of Rac1 or Nox activity blocked NRG-induced cofilin activation and cell migration by HaCaT cells. Moreover, the effects of Rac1 on cofilin activation were dependent on Nox activity. These findings indicate that NRG-induced HaCaT cell migration via the ROS-SSH-1L-cofilin pathway is activated as a consequence of Rac1 and Nox activation.     

The slingshot family of phosphatases mediates Rac1 regulation of cofilin phosphorylation, laminin-332 organization, and motility behavior of keratinocytes

The motility of keratinocytes is an essential component of wound closure and the development of epidermal tumors. In vitro, the specific motile behavior of keratinocytes is dictated by the assembly of laminin-332 tracks, a process that is dependent upon alpha6beta4 integrin signaling to Rac1 and the actin-severing protein cofilin. Here we have analyzed how cofilin phosphorylation is regulated by phosphatases (slingshot (SSH) or chronophin (CIN)) downstream of signaling by alpha6beta4 integrin/Rac1 in human keratinocytes. Keratinocytes express all members of the SSH family (SSH1, SSH2, and SSH3) and CIN. However, expression of phosphatase-dead versions of all three SSH proteins, but not dominant inactive CIN, results in phosphorylation/inactivation of cofilin, changes in actin cytoskeleton organization, loss of cell polarity, and assembly of aberrant arrays of laminin-332 in human keratinocytes. SSH activity is regulated by 14-3-3 protein binding, and intriguingly, 14-3-3/alpha6beta4 integrin protein interaction is required for keratinocyte migration. We wondered whether 14-3-3 proteins function as regulators of Rac1-mediated keratinocyte migration patterns. In support of this hypothesis, inhibition of Rac1 results in an increase in 14-3-3 protein association with SSH. Thus, we propose a novel mechanism in which alpha6beta4 integrin signaling via Rac1, 14-3-3 proteins, and SSH family members regulates cofilin activation, cell polarity, and matrix assembly, leading to specific epidermal cell migration behavior.     

Spatial and temporal regulation of cofilin activity by LIM kinase and Slingshot is critical for directional cell migration

Cofilin mediates lamellipodium extension and polarized cell migration by accelerating actin filament dynamics at the leading edge of migrating cells. Cofilin is inactivated by LIM kinase (LIMK)-1-mediated phosphorylation and is reactivated by cofilin phosphatase Slingshot (SSH)-1L. In this study, we show that cofilin activity is temporally and spatially regulated by LIMK1 and SSH1L in chemokine-stimulated Jurkat T cells. The knockdown of LIMK1 suppressed chemokine-induced lamellipodium formation and cell migration, whereas SSH1L knockdown produced and retained multiple lamellipodial protrusions around the cell after cell stimulation and impaired directional cell migration. Our results indicate that LIMK1 is required for cell migration by stimulating lamellipodium formation in the initial stages of cell response and that SSH1L is crucially involved in directional cell migration by restricting the membrane protrusion to one direction and locally stimulating cofilin activity in the lamellipodium in the front of the migrating cell. We propose that LIMK1- and SSH1L-mediated spatiotemporal regulation of cofilin activity is critical for chemokine-induced polarized lamellipodium formation and directional cell movement.     

Protein kinase D-mediated anterograde membrane trafficking is required for fibroblast motility

BACKGROUND: Locomoting cells exhibit a constant retrograde flow of plasma membrane (PM) proteins from the leading edge lamellipodium backward, which when coupled to substrate adhesion, may drive forward cell movement. However, the intracellular source of these PM components and whether their continuous retrograde flow is required for cell motility is unknown.RESULTS: To test the hypothesis that the anterograde secretion pathway supplies PM components for retrograde flow that are required for lamellipodial activity and cell motility, we specifically inhibited transport of cargo from the trans-Golgi network (TGN) to the PM in Swiss 3T3 fibroblasts and monitored cell motility using time-lapse microscopy. TGN-to-PM trafficking was inhibited with a dominant-negative, kinase-dead (kd) mutant of protein kinase D1 (PKD) that specifically blocks budding of secretory vesicles from the TGN and does not affect other transport pathways. Inhibition of PKD on the TGN inhibited directed cell motility and retrograde flow of surface markers and filamentous actin, while inhibition of PKD elsewhere in the cell neither blocked anterograde membrane transport nor cell motile functions. Exogenous activation of Rac1 in PKD-kd-expressing cells restored lamellipodial dynamics independent of membrane traffic. However, lamellipodial activity was delocalized from a single leading edge, and directed cell motility was not fully recovered.CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that PKD-mediated anterograde membrane traffic from the TGN to the PM is required for fibroblast locomotion and localized Rac1-dependent leading edge activity. We suggest that polarized secretion transmits cargo that directs localized signaling for persistent leading edge activity necessary for directional migration.     

A pathway of neuregulin-induced activation of cofilin-phosphatase Slingshot and cofilin in lamellipodia

Cofilin mediates lamellipodium extension and polarized cell migration by stimulating actin filament dynamics at the leading edge of migrating cells. Cofilin is inactivated by phosphorylation at Ser-3 and reactivated by cofilin-phosphatase Slingshot-1L (SSH1L). Little is known of signaling mechanisms of cofilin activation and how this activation is spatially regulated. Here, we show that cofilin-phosphatase activity of SSH1L increases approximately 10-fold by association with actin filaments, which indicates that actin assembly at the leading edge per se triggers local activation of SSH1L and thereby stimulates cofilin-mediated actin turnover in lamellipodia. We also provide evidence that 14-3-3 proteins inhibit SSH1L activity, dependent on the phosphorylation of Ser-937 and Ser-978 of SSH1L. Stimulation of cells with neuregulin-1beta induced Ser-978 dephosphorylation, translocation of SSH1L onto F-actin-rich lamellipodia, and cofilin dephosphorylation. These findings suggest that SSH1L is locally activated by translocation to and association with F-actin in lamellipodia in response to neuregulin-1beta and 14-3-3 proteins negatively regulate SSH1L activity by sequestering it in the cytoplasm.     

Tumor Cell Migration and Invasion Are Enhanced by Depletion of Rap1 GTPase-activating Protein (Rap1GAP)

The functional significance of the widespread down-regulation of Rap1 GTPase-activating protein (Rap1GAP), a negative regulator of Rap activity, in human tumors is unknown. Here we show that human colon cancer cells depleted of Rap1GAP are endowed with more aggressive migratory and invasive properties. Silencing Rap1GAP enhanced the migration of confluent and single cells. In the latter, migration distance, velocity, and directionality were increased. Enhanced migration was a consequence of increased endogenous Rap activity as silencing Rap expression selectively abolished the migration of Rap1GAP-depleted cells. ROCK-mediated cell contractility was suppressed in Rap1GAP-depleted cells, which exhibited a spindle-shaped morphology and abundant membrane protrusions. Tumor cells can switch between Rho/ROCK-mediated contractility-based migration and Rac1-mediated mesenchymal motility. Strikingly, the migration of Rap1GAP-depleted, but not control cells required Rac1 activity, suggesting that loss of Rap1GAP alters migratory mechanisms. Inhibition of Rac1 activity restored membrane blebbing and increased ROCK activity in Rap1GAP-depleted cells, suggesting that Rac1 contributes to the suppression of contractility. Collectively, these findings identify Rap1GAP as a critical regulator of aggressive tumor cell behavior and suggest that the level of Rap1GAP expression influences the migratory mechanisms that are operative in tumor cells.     

14-3-3ζ/τ heterodimers regulate Slingshot activity in migrating keratinocytes

Defining the pathways required for keratinocyte cell migration is important for understanding mechanisms of wound healing and tumor cell metastasis. We have recently identified an α6β4 integrin-Rac1 signaling pathway via which the phosphatase Slingshot (SSH) activates/dephosphorylates cofilin, thereby determining keratinocyte migration behavior. Here, we assayed the role of 14-3-3 isoforms in regulating the activity of SSH1. Using amino or carboxy terminal domains of 14-3-3ζ, we demonstrate that in keratinocytes 14-3-3ζ/τ heterodimers bind SSH1, in the absence of Rac1 signaling. This interaction leads to an inhibition of SSH1 activity, as measured by an increase in phosphorylated cofilin levels. Overexpression of the carboxy terminal domain of 14-3-3ζ acts as a dominant negative and inhibits the interaction between 14-3-3τ and SSH1. These results implicate 14-3-3ζ/τ heterodimers as key regulators of SSH1 activity in keratinocytes and suggest they play a role in cytoskeleton remodeling during cell migration.     

Novel Role for p21-activated Kinase 2 in Thrombin-induced Monocyte Migration

To understand the role of thrombin in inflammation, we tested its effects on migration of THP-1 cells, a human monocytic cell line. Thrombin induced THP-1 cell migration in a dose-dependent manner. Thrombin induced tyrosine phosphorylation of Pyk2, Gab1, and p115 RhoGEF, leading to Rac1- and RhoA-dependent Pak2 activation. Downstream to Pyk2, Gab1 formed a complex with p115 RhoGEF involving their pleckstrin homology domains. Furthermore, inhibition or depletion of Pyk2, Gab1, p115 RhoGEF, Rac1, RhoA, or Pak2 levels substantially attenuated thrombin-induced THP-1 cell F-actin cytoskeletal remodeling and migration. Inhibition or depletion of PAR1 also blocked thrombin-induced activation of Pyk2, Gab1, p115 RhoGEF, Rac1, RhoA, and Pak2, resulting in diminished THP-1 cell F-actin cytoskeletal remodeling and migration. Similarly, depletion of Gα₁₂ negated thrombin-induced Pyk2, Gab1, p115 RhoGEF, Rac1, RhoA, and Pak2 activation, leading to attenuation of THP-1 cell F-actin cytoskeletal remodeling and migration. These novel observations reveal that thrombin induces monocyte/macrophage migration via PAR1-Gα12-dependent Pyk2-mediated Gab1 and p115 RhoGEF interactions, leading to Rac1- and RhoA-targeted Pak2 activation. Thus, these findings provide mechanistic evidence for the role of thrombin and its receptor PAR1 in inflammation.     

Phosphorylation of Ser 402 impedes phosphatase activity of slingshot 1

By using mass spectrometry, we have identified Ser 402 as a new phosphorylation site within the catalytic domain of human slingshot 1 (SSH1). Phosphorylation at this site inhibits substrate binding and, thus, phosphatase activity in vitro, resulting in enrichment of phosphorylated cofilin in monolayer cell culture. We further demonstrate that protein kinase D (PKD) is upstream from Ser 402 phosphorylation. Accordingly, expression of active PKD in Drosophila phenotypically mimics the loss of SSH activity by inducing accumulation of phosphorylated cofilin and filamentous actin. We thus identify a universal mechanism by which PKD controls SSH1 phosphatase activity.     

Adiponectin promotes migration activities of endothelial progenitor cells via Cdc42/Rac1

Adiponectin has anti-atherosclerotic effects through its direct actions on vascular cells. The present study investigates the molecular mechanisms of adiponectin in the migration of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) which play an important role in neovascularization and re-endothelization. The phosphorylation of Akt and the activations of Cdc42 and Rac1 were significantly increased by adiponectin. Adiponectin increased the migration activity of EPCs, which was completely inhibited by a PI3-kinase inhibitor. siRNA of Cdc42 or Rac1 completely inhibited the adiponectin-induced migration, but siRNA of Akt had no effects, indicating that adiponectin promotes the migration activities of EPCs mainly through PI3-kinase/Cdc42/Rac1.

Structured summary

MINT-7217629: PAK1 (uniprotkb:Q13153) physically interacts (MI:0914) with CDC42 (uniprotkb:P60953) by pull down (MI:0096)MINT-7217644: PAK1 (uniprotkb:Q13153) physically interacts (MI:0914) with Rac1 (uniprotkb:P63000) by pull down (MI:0096)     

Protein Kinase A-dependent Phosphorylation of Rap1 Regulates Its Membrane Localization and Cell Migration

The small G protein Rap1 can mediate “inside-out signaling” by recruiting effectors to the plasma membrane that signal to pathways involved in cell adhesion and cell migration. This action relies on the membrane association of Rap1, which is dictated by post-translational prenylation as well as by a stretch of basic residues within its carboxyl terminus. One feature of this stretch of acidic residues is that it lies adjacent to a functional phosphorylation site for the cAMP-dependent protein kinase PKA. This phosphorylation has two effects on Rap1 action. One, it decreases the level of Rap1 activity as measured by GTP loading and the coupling of Rap1 to RapL, a Rap1 effector that couples Rap1 GTP loading to integrin activation. Two, it destabilizes the membrane localization of Rap1, promoting its translocation into the cytoplasm. These two actions, decreased GTP loading and decreased membrane localization, are related, as the translocation of Rap1-GTP into the cytoplasm is associated with its increased GTP hydrolysis and inactivation. The consequences of this phosphorylation in Rap1-dependent cell adhesion and cell migration were also examined. Active Rap1 mutants that lack this phosphorylation site had a minimal effect on cell adhesion but strongly reduced cell migration, when compared with an active Rap1 mutant that retained the phosphorylation site. This suggests that optimal cell migration is associated with cycles of Rap1 activation, membrane egress, and inactivation, and requires the regulated phosphorylation of Rap1 by PKA.     

An alpha4 integrin-paxillin-Arf-GAP complex restricts Rac activation to the leading edge of migrating cells

Formation of a stable lamellipodium at the front of migrating cells requires localization of Rac activation to the leading edge. Restriction of alpha4 integrin phosphorylation to the leading edge limits the interaction of alpha4 with paxillin to the sides and rear of a migrating cell. The alpha4-paxillin complex inhibits stable lamellipodia, thus confining lamellipod formation to the cell anterior. Here we report that binding of paxillin to the alpha4 integrin subunit inhibits adhesion-dependent lamellipodium formation by blocking Rac activation. The paxillin LD4 domain mediates this reduction in Rac activity by recruiting an ADP-ribosylation factor GTPase-activating protein (Arf-GAP) that decreases Arf activity, thereby inhibiting Rac. Finally, the localized formation of the alpha4-paxillin-Arf-GAP complex mediates the polarization of Rac activity and promotes directional cell migration. These findings establish a mechanism for the spatial localization of Rac activity to enhance cell migration.     

Actin depolymerization mediated loss of SNTA1 phosphorylation and Rac1 activity has implications on ROS production,cell migration and apoptosis

Alpha-1-syntrophin (SNTA1) and Rac1 are part of a signaling pathway via the dystrophin glycoprotein complex (DGC). Both SNTA1 and Rac1 proteins are over-expressed in various carcinomas. It is through the DGC signaling pathway that SNTA1 has been shown to act as a link between the extra cellular matrix, the internal cell signaling apparatus and the actin cytoskeleton. SNTA1 is involved in the modulation of the actin cytoskeleton and actin reorganization. Rac1 also controls actin cytoskeletal organization in the cell. In this study, we present the interplay between f-actin, SNTA1 and Rac1. We analyzed the effect of actin depolymerization on SNTA1 tyrosine phosphorylation and Rac1 activity using actin depolymerizing drugs, cytochalasin D and latrunculin A. Our results indicate a marked decrease in the tyrosine phosphorylation of SNTA1 upon actin depolymerization. Results suggest that actin depolymerization mediated loss of SNTA1 phosphorylation leads to loss of interaction between SNTA1 and Rac1, with a concomitant loss of Rac1 activation. The loss of SNTA1tyrosine phosphorylation and Rac1 activity by actin depolymerization results in increased apoptosis, decreased cell migration and decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in breast carcinoma cells. Collectively, our results present a possible role of f-actin in the SNTA1-Rac1 signaling pathway and implications of actin depolymerization on cell migration, ROS production and apoptosis.     

Regulation of Rac1 activation by the low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein

The low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP-1) binds and mediates the endocytosis of multiple ligands, transports the urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) and other membrane proteins into endosomes, and binds intracellular adaptor proteins involved in cell signaling. In this paper, we show that in murine embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) and L929 cells, LRP-1 functions as a major regulator of Rac1 activation, and that this activity depends on uPAR. LRP-1-deficient MEFs demonstrated increased Rac1 activation compared with LRP-1-expressing MEFs, and this property was reversed by expressing the VLDL receptor, a member of the same gene family as LRP-1, with overlapping ligand-binding specificity. Neutralizing the activity of LRP-1 with receptor-associated protein (RAP) increased Rac1 activation and cell migration in MEFs and L929 cells. The same parameters were unaffected by RAP in uPAR-/- MEFs, prepared from uPAR gene knockout embryos, and in uPAR-deficient LM-TK- cells. Untreated uPAR+/+ MEFs demonstrated substantially increased Rac1 activation compared with uPAR-/- MEFs. In addition to Rac1, LRP-1 suppressed activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in MEFs; however, it was Rac1 (and not ERK) that was responsible for the effects of LRP-1 on MEF migration. Thus, LRP-1 regulates two signaling proteins in the same cell (Rac1 and ERK), both of which may impact on cell migration. In uPAR-negative cells, LRP-1 neutralization does not affect Rac1 activation, and other mechanisms by which LRP-1 may regulate cell migration are not unmasked.     

Insulin Receptor Substrate-4 Binds to Slingshot-1 Phosphatase and Promotes Cofilin Dephosphorylation

Cofilin plays an essential role in cell migration and morphogenesis by enhancing actin filament dynamics via its actin filament-severing activity. Slingshot-1 (SSH1) is a protein phosphatase that plays a crucial role in regulating actin dynamics by dephosphorylating and reactivating cofilin. In this study, we identified insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-4 as a novel SSH1-binding protein. Co-precipitation assays revealed the direct endogenous binding of IRS4 to SSH1. IRS4, but not IRS1 or IRS2, was bound to SSH1. IRS4 was bound to SSH1 mainly through the unique region (amino acids 335–400) adjacent to the C terminus of the phosphotyrosine-binding domain of IRS4. The N-terminal A, B, and phosphatase domains of SSH1 were bound to IRS4 independently. Whereas in vitro phosphatase assays revealed that IRS4 does not directly affect the cofilin phosphatase activity of SSH1, knockdown of IRS4 increased cofilin phosphorylation in cultured cells. Knockdown of IRS4 decreased phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) activity, and treatment with an inhibitor of PI3K increased cofilin phosphorylation. Akt preferentially phosphorylated SSH1 at Thr-826, but expression of a non-phosphorylatable T826A mutant of SSH1 did not affect insulin-induced cofilin dephosphorylation, and an inhibitor of Akt did not increase cofilin phosphorylation. These results suggest that IRS4 promotes cofilin dephosphorylation through sequential activation of PI3K and SSH1 but not through Akt. In addition, IRS4 co-localized with SSH1 in F-actin-rich membrane protrusions in insulin-stimulated cells, which suggests that the association of IRS4 with SSH1 contributes to localized activation of cofilin in membrane protrusions.     

Loss of ATM positively regulates Rac1 activity and cellular migration through oxidative stress

Ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) is a serine-threonine kinase that is integral in the response to DNA double-stranded breaks (DSBs). Cells and tissues lacking ATM are prone to tumor development and enhanced tumor cell migration and invasion. Interestingly, ATM-deficient cells exhibit high levels of oxidative stress; however, the direct mechanism whereby ATM-associated oxidative stress may contribute to the cancer phenotype remains largely unexplored. Rac1, a member of the Rho family of GTPases, also plays an important regulatory role in cellular growth, motility, and cancer formation. Rac1 can be activated directly by reactive oxygen species (ROS), by a mechanism distinct from canonical guanine nucleotide exchange factor-driven activation. Here we show that loss of ATM kinase activity elevates intracellular ROS, leading to Rac1 activation. Rac1 activity drives cytoskeletal rearrangements resulting in increased cellular spreading and motility. Rac1 siRNA or treatment with the ROS scavenger N-Acetyl-L-cysteine restores wild-type migration. These studies demonstrate a novel mechanism whereby ATM activity and ROS generation regulates Rac1 to modulate pro-migratory cellular behavior.     

The C Terminus of Mouse Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein 1 (MCP1) Mediates MCP1 Dimerization while Blocking Its Chemotactic Potency

The extracellular protease plasmin cleaves mouse MCP1 (monocyte chemoattractant protein 1) at lysine 104, releasing a 50-amino acid C-terminal domain. The cleavage event increases the chemotactic activity of MCP1 and, by doing so, promotes the progression of excitotoxic injury in the central nervous system in pathological settings. The mechanism through which the cleavage event enhances MCP1-mediated chemoattraction is unknown; to investigate it, we use wild-type and mutant forms of recombinant MCP1. Full-length MCP1 (FL-MCP1) is secreted by cells as a dimer or multimer. We show that a mutant truncated at the C terminus, K104Stop-MCP1, does not dimerize, revealing that the C terminus mediates the interaction. MCP1 interacts with the monocyte/microglia receptor CCR2. The interaction is critical to the function of MCP1 because CCR2^−/− microglia do not undergo chemotaxis in response to MCP1 stimulation. We show that stimulation of microglia with FL-MCP1 or K104Stop-MCP1 triggers CCR2 internalization, whereas a mutant form unable to be cleaved at lysine 104 (K104A-MCP1) is relatively ineffective in this assay, suggesting that the C-terminal region interferes with the MCP1-CCR2 interaction. Moreover, FL-MCP1 and K104Stop-MCP1 stimulation leads to activation of Rac1, a small GTPase involved in cell migration. Conversely, MCP1-stimulated microglial migration is blocked by the Rac1 inhibitor, NSC23766, demonstrating the requirement for Rac1 effector pathways in this response. Taken together, we propose a model for MCP1 localization, activation, and function based on the initial presence and then removal of its C terminus, coupled with a requisite downstream signaling pathway from CCR2 stimulation to Rac1 activation.