Involvement of CX3CL1/CX3CR1 Signaling in Spinal Long Term Potentiation

The long-term potentiation (LTP) of spinal C-fiber-evoked field potentials is considered as a fundamental mechanism of central sensitization in the spinal cord. Accumulating evidence has showed the contribution of spinal microglia to spinal LTP and pathological pain. As a key signaling of neurons-microglia interactions, the involvement of CX3CL1/CX3CR1 signaling in pathological pain has also been investigated extensively. The present study examined whether CX3CL1/CX3CR1 signaling plays a role in spinal LTP. The results showed that 10-trains tetanic stimulation (100 Hz, 2s) of the sciatic nerve (TSS) produced a significant LTP of C-fiber-evoked field potentials lasting for over 3 h in the rat spinal dorsal horn. Blockade of CX3CL1/CX3CR1 signaling with an anti-CX3CR1 neutralizing antibody (CX3CR1 AB) markedly suppressed TSS-induced LTP. Exogenous CX3CL1 significantly potentiated 3-trains TSS-induced LTP in rats. Consistently, spinal LTP of C-fiber-evoked field potentials was also induced by TSS (100 Hz, 1s, 4 trains) in all C57BL/6 wild type (WT) mice. However, in CX3CR1^-/- mice, TSS failed to induce LTP and behavioral hypersensitivity, confirming an essential role of CX3CR1 in spinal LTP induction. Furthermore, blockade of IL-18 or IL-23, the potential downstream factors of CX3CL1/CX3CR1 signaling, with IL-18 BP or anti-IL-23 neutralizing antibody (IL-23 AB), obviously suppressed spinal LTP in rats. These results suggest that CX3CL1/CX3CR1 signaling is involved in LTP of C-fiber-evoked field potentials in the rodent spinal dorsal horn.     

趋化因子CCL11-糖胺聚糖-趋化因子受体CCR3的相互作用研究

目的 探究趋化因子CCL11与受体CCR3、糖胺聚糖（glycosaminoglycans，GAGs）相互作用过程及机制，为深入阐明CCL11-GAGs-CCR3相互作用关系提供理论参考。方法 利用基因工程技术，构建筛选了CCR3-EGFP单分子表达水平的CHO稳转细胞系，利用全内反射荧光成像（total internal reflection fluorescence，TIRF）与等温滴定量热（isothermal titration calorimetry，ITC）技术研究了不同体外溶液条件下GAGs与CCL11的相互作用，并利用趋化实验及活细胞单分子成像实验考察了GAGs-CCL11对CCR3-EGFP稳转细胞趋化行为的调控及CCR3-EGFP在细胞膜上聚集状态的影响。结果 随着硫酸软骨素链长度的增加，其与CCL11结合放热增多，表明其相互作用力增强，其促进CCL11聚集作用增强。单分子荧光成像技术结合趋化试验研究发现，不同种类及不同比例的GAGs均会影响CCL11与CCR3的相互作用，GAGs的加入，抑制了CCL11对CCR3-EGFP稳转细胞的趋化效应及促CCR3-EGFP聚集的能力，且随着硫酸软骨素分子质量的增加，抑制作用显著增强。结论 GAGs的存在可以显著调控CCL11的聚集状态，进而影响其与受体CCR3的相互作用，本研究为进一步阐明CCL11-GAGs-CCR3相互作用关系提供了一定的实验基础。     

Hydrogen sulfide inhibits the development of atherosclerosis with suppressing CX3CR1 and CX3CL1 expression

Hydrogen sulfide, as a novel gaseous mediator, has been suggested to play a key role in atherogenesis. However, the precise mechanisms by which H(2)S affects atherosclerosis remain unclear. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the potential role of H(2)S in atherosclerosis and the underlying mechanism with respect to chemokines (CCL2, CCL5 and CX3CL1) and chemokine receptors (CCR2, CCR5, and CX3CR1) in macrophages. Mouse macrophage cell line RAW 264.7 or mouse peritoneal macrophages were pre-incubated with saline or NaHS (50 μM, 100 μM, 200 μM), an H(2)S donor, and then stimulated with interferon-γ (IFN-γ) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS). It was found that NaHS dose-dependently inhibited IFN-γ or LPS-induced CX3CR1 and CX3CL1 expression, as well as CX3CR1-mediated chemotaxis in macrophages. Overexpression of cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE), an enzyme that catalyzes H(2)S biosynthesis resulted in a significant reduction in CX3CR1 and CX3CL1 expression as well as CX3CR1-mediated chemotaxis in stimulated macrophages. The inhibitory effect of H(2)S on CX3CR1 and CX3CL1 expression was mediated by modulation of proliferators-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) and NF-κB pathway. Furthermore, male apoE(-/-) mice were fed a high-fat diet and then randomly given NaHS (1 mg/kg, i.p., daily) or DL-propargylglycine (PAG, 10 mg/kg, i.p., daily). NaHS significantly inhibited aortic CX3CR1 and CX3CL1 expression and impeded aortic plaque development. NaHS had a better anti-atherogenic benefit when it was applied at the early stage of atherosclerosis. However, inhibition of H(2)S formation by PAG increased aortic CX3CR1 and CX3CL1 expression and exacerbated the extent of atherosclerosis. In addition, H(2)S had minimal effect on the expression of CCL2, CCL5, CCR2 and CCR5 in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, these data indicate that H(2)S hampers the progression of atherosclerosis in fat-fed apoE(-/-) mice and downregulates CX3CR1 and CX3CL1 expression on macrophages and in lesion plaques.     

Spinal CX3CL1/CX3CR1 May Not Directly Participate in the Development of Morphine Tolerance in Rats

CX3CL1 (fractalkine), the sole member of chemokine CX3C family, is implicated in inflammatory and neuropathic pain via activating its receptor CX3CR1 on neural cells in spinal cord. However, it has not been fully elucidated whether CX3CL1 or CX3CR1 contributes to the development of morphine tolerance. In this study, we found that chronic morphine exposure did not alter the expressions of CX3CL1 and CX3CR1 in spinal cord. And neither exogenous CX3CL1 nor CX3CR1 inhibitor could affect the development of morphine tolerance. The cellular localizations of spinal CX3CL1 and CX3CR1 changed from neuron and microglia, respectively, to all the neural cells during the development of morphine tolerance. A microarray profiling revealed that 15 members of chemokine family excluding CX3CL1 and CX3CR1 were up-regulated in morphine-treated rats. Our study provides evidence that spinal CX3CL1 and CX3CR1 may not be involved in the development of morphine tolerance directly.

     

趋化因子受体CX3CR1调控人主动脉瓣膜间质细胞成骨分化的作用研究

目的:探究趋化因子受体CX3CR1调控人主动脉瓣膜间质细胞成骨分化的作用和机制,为钙化性主动脉瓣膜疾病的早期干预和治疗提供新思路。方法:取非钙化主动脉瓣(3例)和钙化主动脉瓣(5例),免疫组织化学染色检测成骨相关转录因子Runx2、骨桥蛋白OPN和骨钙蛋白OCN的表达;取3例非钙化的主动脉瓣,采用胶原酶连续消化法分离人主动脉瓣膜间质细胞,观察细胞形态及生长状态,并采用细胞免疫荧光进行表型鉴定。对成骨诱导培养的人主动脉瓣膜间质细胞分别过表达和干扰趋化因子受体CX3CR1,平行设置CM组、OM组和negative control+OM组,采用qPCR和Western blot检测Runx2、OPN和OCN的表达,Western blot检测AKT和p-AKT的表达。茜素红S染色评价晚期钙结节形成情况。结果:临床标本显示钙化的主动脉瓣较非钙化的主动脉瓣高表达CX3CR1(P 0. 05);成功分离人主动脉瓣膜间质细胞,α-SMA和Vimentin阳性,vWF阴性。与CM、OM、negative control组比较,CX3CR1+OM组Runx2、OPN和p-AKT表达上调(P 0. 05),且茜素红S染色可见明显钙结节;与CM、OM、negative siRNA control+OM组比较,si CX3CR1+OM组Runx2、OPN和p-AKT表达下调(P 0. 05),且茜素红S染色可见钙结节减少。结论:趋化因子受体CX3CR1可能通过AKT信号通路促进人主动脉瓣膜间质细胞成骨分化。     

High-Level Production,Solubilization and Purification of Synthetic Human GPCR Chemokine Receptors CCR5, CCR3, CXCR4 and CX3CR1

Chemokine receptors belong to a class of integral membrane G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) and are responsible for transmitting signals from the extracellular environment. However, the structural changes in the receptor, connecting ligand binding to G-protein activation, remain elusive for most GPCRs due to the difficulty to produce them for structural and functional studies. We here report high-level production in E.coli of 4 human GPCRs, namely chemokine receptors (hCRs) CCR5, CCR3, CXCR4 and CX3CR1 that are directly involved in HIV-1 infection, asthma and cancer metastasis. The synthetic genes of CCR5, CCR3, CXCR4 and CX3CR1 were synthesized using a two-step assembly/amplification PCR method and inserted into two different kinds of expression systems. After systematic screening of growth conditions and host strains, TB medium was selected for expression of pEXP-hCRs. The low copy number pBAD-DEST49 plasmid, with a moderately strong promoter tightly regulated by L-arabinose, proved helpful for reducing toxicity of expressed membrane proteins. The synthetic Trx-hCR fusion genes in the pBAD-DEST49 vector were expressed at high levels in the Top10 strain. After a systematic screen of 96 detergents, the zwitterionic detergents of the Fos-choline series (FC9-FC16) emerged as the most effective for isolation of the hCRs. The FC14 was selected both for solubilization from bacterial lysates and for stabilization of the Trx-hCRs during purification. Thus, the FC-14 solubilized Trx-hCRs could be purified using size exclusion chromatography as monomers and dimers with the correct apparent MW and their alpha-helical content determined by circular dichroism. The identity of two of the expressed hCRs (CCR3 and CCR5) was confirmed using immunoblots using specific monoclonal antibodies. After optimization of expression systems and detergent-mediated purification procedures, we achieved large-scale, high-level production of 4 human GPCR chemokine receptor in a two-step purification, yielding milligram quantities of CCR5, CCR3, CXCR4 and CX3CR1 for biochemical, biophysical and structural analysis.     

趋化因子CX3CL1与冠心病合并2型糖尿病发病的相关关系

目的:探讨趋化因子CX3CL1与冠心病合并2型糖尿病发病的相关关系。方法:采用病例-对照的研究方法,收集冠心病合并2型糖尿病患者400例,收集对照组400例,利用免疫组化检测冠心病合并2型糖尿病患者颈外动脉旋切术后斑块组织中CX3CL1表达水平,分别检测上述2组不同人群血清中的CX3CL1表达水平,同时采用直接测序方法检测CX3CL1基因rs170364位点基因型及等位基因的分布频率在对照组和冠心病合并2型糖尿病人群的分布差异。结果:冠心病合并2型糖尿病患者颈外动脉斑块组织中CX3CL1表达明显增高,冠心病合并2型糖尿病患者血清中CX3CL1的表达水平明显高于对照人群中CX3CL1的表达。CX3CL1基因rs170364单核苷酸多态位点的三种基因型分布频率(GG型,GT型和TT型)在冠心病合并2型糖尿病患者的分布频率为42.7%,40.0%和17.2%,在对照组分布频率为50.2%,39.6%和10.2%,CX3CL1基因rs170364位点T等位基因是冠心病合并2型糖尿病发病的一个独立危险因素(P0.05)。Logistic回归校正性别、年龄、体重指数、吸烟、高血压、高脂血症等冠心病合并2型糖尿病的易患因素后,CX3CL1基因rs170364 T等位基因仍是冠心病合并2型糖尿病发病的一个独立的危险因素。结论:CX3CL1在冠心病合并2型糖尿病的患者血清和颈外动脉动脉血管组织中表达明显增高,CX3CL1基因rs170364T等位基因可能是冠心病合并2型糖尿病患者发病的独立危险因素。     

慢性阻塞性肺疾病患者中血清亲环素A、趋化因子CX3CL1表达水平及临床意义

摘要 目的：探讨慢性阻塞性肺疾病（COPD）患者中血清亲环素A（CyPA）、趋化因子CX3CL1以及其他炎性指标的表达水平及其临床意义。方法：选取2019年1月-2021年6月本院收治的COPD患者120例作为研究对象,其中68例患者为急性加重期组,52例患者为稳定期组;另选取体检健康者45例作为对照组。收集所有受试者的临床资料,检测其血清中CyPA、CX3CL1、C反应蛋白（CRP）、白细胞介素-6（IL-6）以及基质金属蛋白酶-9（MMP-9）水平,比较3组患者各参数的差异,并与肺功能进行相关性分析,比较急性加重期患者治疗前后各指标的差异。结果：急性加重期组患者的血清 CyPA、CX3CL1、CRP、IL-6、MMP-9水平均明显高于稳定期组和对照组患者,稳定期组患者的血清 CyPA、CX3CL1、CRP、IL-6、MMP-9水平均明显高于对照组患者（均P＜0.05）;而急性加重期组患者的第1s用力呼气量（FEV₁）、用力肺活量（FVC）、第1s用力呼气量（FEV₁）与用力肺活量（FVC）的比值（FEV₁%）、最大呼气峰流速（PEF）以及最大呼气中期流速（MMEF）明显低于稳定期组和对照组患者,稳定期组患者的FEV₁、FVC、FEV₁/FVC、PEF、MMEF明显低于对照组患者（均P＜0.05）。COPD患者的血清CyPA、CX3CL1、CRP、IL-6、MMP-9水平与FEV₁、FVC、FEV₁/FVC、PEF、MMEF呈负相关（P<0.05）。与治疗前相比较,急性加重期组患者在治疗后血清CyPA、CX3CL1、CRP、IL-6、MMP-9水平明显下降,而FEV₁、FVC、FEV₁/FVC、PEF、MMEF明显上升（均P＜0.05）。结论：COPD患者的血清CyPA、CX3CL1、CRP、IL-6、MMP-9水平可在一定程度上预测患者的严重程度,同时也可以作为急性加重期治疗后效果的评价指标。     

CX3CR1 Is Expressed by Human B Lymphocytes and Meditates CX3CL1 Driven Chemotaxis of Tonsil Centrocytes

Background

Fractalkine/CX₃CL1, a surface chemokine, binds to CX₃CR1 expressed by different lymphocyte subsets. Since CX₃CL1 has been detected in the germinal centres of secondary lymphoid tissue, in this study we have investigated CX₃CR1 expression and function in human naïve, germinal centre and memory B cells isolated from tonsil or peripheral blood.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We demonstrate unambiguously that highly purified human B cells from tonsil and peripheral blood expressed CX₃CR1 at mRNA and protein levels as assessed by quantitative PCR, flow cytometry and competition binding assays. In particular, naïve, germinal centre and memory B cells expressed CX₃CR1 but only germinal centre B cells were attracted by soluble CX₃CL1 in a transwell assay. CX₃CL1 signalling in germinal centre B cells involved PI3K, Erk1/2, p38, and Src phosphorylation, as assessed by Western blot experiments. CX₃CR1⁺ germinal centre B cells were devoid of centroblasts and enriched for centrocytes that migrated to soluble CX₃CL1. ELISA assay showed that soluble CX₃CL1 was secreted constitutively by follicular dendritic cells and T follicular helper cells, two cell populations homing in the germinal centre light zone as centrocytes. At variance with that observed in humans, soluble CX₃CL1 did not attract spleen B cells from wild type mice. OVA immunized CX₃CR1⁻/⁻ or CX₃CL1⁻/⁻ mice showed significantly decreased specific IgG production compared to wild type mice.

Conclusion/Significance

We propose a model whereby human follicular dendritic cells and T follicular helper cells release in the light zone of germinal centre soluble CX₃CL1 that attracts centrocytes. The functional implications of these results warrant further investigation.     

血清CX3CL1 水平对冠心病的临床意义探讨

目的:探讨冠心病患者血清中趋化因子CX3CL1的表达在冠心病中的临床意义。方法:采用病例-对照的研究方法,依据临床症状收集经冠脉造影显示确诊为冠心病的患者250例,其中临床症状诊断为稳定性心绞痛患者75例,不稳定型心绞痛患者75例,急性心肌梗死患者100例(其中包含ST段抬高型急性心肌梗死和非ST段抬高型急性心肌梗死患者各50例)。同期收集对照组200例,对照组为冠状动脉造影显示为正常。ELISA方法检测上述不同人群血清中趋化因子CX3CL1表达变化,利用流式细胞仪检测上述不同人群血清中CD4~+CD28~-CX3CR1+T细胞表达含量的变化。结果:冠心病患者组血清趋化因子CX3CL1表达明显高于对照组(P0.05);与稳定型冠心病组患者相比较,不稳定型冠心病组和急性心肌梗死组患者血清中趋化因子CX3CL1水平明显高于稳定型冠心病患者组(P0.05);ST段抬高型急性心肌梗死患者血清CX3CL1表达水平高于非ST段抬高型急性心肌梗死患者(P0.05)。不稳定型心绞痛患者冠状动脉介入手术后即刻抽取患者的静脉血,血清中CX3CL1表达含量明显高于冠状动脉介入手术前血清中的表达含量。冠心病患者CD4~+CD28~-CX3CR1+T细胞受体的表达含量明显增高,在急性ST段抬高型心肌梗死患者血清中的表达最高(P0.05)。结论:趋化因子CX3CL1可能参与冠心病动脉粥样硬化不稳定斑块的形成,并且可能成为外周血中预测不稳定型斑块的血清生物学标志物。     

Constitutive Endocytosis of the Chemokine CX3CL1 Prevents Its Degradation by Cell Surface Metalloproteases

CX₃CL1, a chemokine with transmembrane and soluble species, plays a key role in inflammation by acting as both chemoattractant and adhesion molecule. CX₃CL1 is the only chemokine known to undergo constitutive internalization, raising the possibility that dynamic equilibrium between the endocytic compartment and the plasma membrane critically regulates the availability and processing of CX₃CL1 at the cell surface. We therefore investigated how transmembrane CX₃CL1 is internalized. Inhibition of dynamin using a nonfunctional allele or of clathrin using specific small interfering RNA prevented endocytosis of the chemokine in CX₃CL1-expressing human ECV-304 cells. Perusal of the cytoplasmic domain of CX₃CL1 revealed two putative adaptor protein-2 (AP-2)-binding motifs. Accordingly, CX₃CL1 co-localized with AP-2 at the plasma membrane. We generated a mutant allele of CX₃CL1 lacking the cytoplasmic tail. Deletion of the cytosolic tail precluded internalization of the chemokine. We used site-directed mutagenesis to disrupt AP-2-binding motifs, singly or in combination, which resulted in diminished internalization of CX₃CL1. Although CX₃CL1 was present in both superficial and endomembrane compartments, ADAM10 (a disintegrin and metalloprotease 10) and tumor necrosis factor-converting enzyme, the two metalloproteases that cleave CX₃CL1, localized predominantly to the plasmalemma. Inhibition of endocytosis using the dynamin inhibitor, Dynasore, promoted rapid metalloprotease-dependent shedding of CX₃CL1 from the cell surface into the surrounding medium. These findings indicate that the cytoplasmic tail of CX₃CL1 facilitates its constitutive clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Such regulation enables intracellular storage of a sizable pool of presynthesized CX₃CL1 that protects the chemokine from degradation by metalloproteases at the plasma membrane.Inflammation is marked by the migration of circulating leukocytes into sites of injury, a process that occurs via a series of coordinated interactions between leukocytes and endothelial or epithelial cells. Central to this process are chemokines, a family of low molecular weight proteins that can attract leukocytes bearing the complementary receptors. When engagement of the chemokine receptor occurs, the leukocyte becomes activated and is induced to firmly adhere to the inflamed endothelium. These initial steps culminate in diapedesis of the leukocyte across the endothelium and migration into the injured tissue. The local complement of chemokines elaborated is organ-specific and varies with the type of inflammation present. In addition, specific leukocyte subsets also bear distinct chemokine receptors. In this way, chemokines and chemokine receptors confer organ specificity to leukocyte migration and help to “fine-tune” the nature of the observed inflammatory response.Among the 40 chemokines identified so far, CX₃CL1 is one of only two that have a transmembrane structure (1, 2). The chemokine domain of CX₃CL1 binds to its complementary receptor, CX₃CR1, through two distinct amino acid residues (3). The mucin stalk of CX₃CL1 allows efficient presentation of the chemokine to circulating leukocytes that express CX₃CR1, thereby allowing these leukocytes to be captured by the underlying endothelium (4, 5). CX₃CL1 also possesses a cytoplasmic tail 37 amino acids in length. However, the specific functions of the cytoplasmic tail have been left completely unexplored.Accumulating evidence demonstrates a critical role for CX₃CL1 in the pathogenesis of diverse inflammatory diseases, including atherosclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and rejection of transplanted organs (6–15). Cell surface expression of CX₃CL1 is known to be regulated by proteolytic cleavage, or shedding, from the plasma membrane (16–18). Constitutive cleavage of CX₃CL1 occurs at low levels and is mediated by ADAM10 (a disintegrin and metalloprotease 10) (17). In response to inflammatory stimulation with lipopolysaccharide or to protein kinase C activation using phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, proteolytic cleavage of CX₃CL1 is markedly enhanced. Inducible cleavage of CX₃CL1 is mediated by tumor necrosis factor-α converting enzyme (TACE; ADAM17),² a related protease of the metzincin family (16, 18).In addition to proteolytic cleavage, surface expression of CX₃CL1 is also regulated by subcellular trafficking. We recently demonstrated that cell surface CX₃CL1 rapidly recycles to and from a specialized endocytic compartment, raising the possibility that the intracellular pool serves as a storage depot and that dynamic equilibrium between the endocytic compartment and the plasma membrane determines the availability and processing of transmembrane CX₃CL1 (19). In the current study, we explored whether the unique cytoplasmic tail of CX₃CL1 is important for this novel mode of regulation of the chemokine and whether it affects susceptibility of the chemokine to surface proteases. Our data suggest that plasmalemmal CX₃CL1 undergoes constitutive clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME), facilitating storage of an intracellular pool of chemokine that is protected from cell surface metalloproteases.     

Arteriolar and Venular Remodeling Are Differentially Regulated by Bone Marrow-Derived Cell-Specific CX3CR1 and CCR2 Expression

The chemokine receptors CCR2 and CX3CR1 are critical for the recruitment of “inflammatory” and “resident” monocytes, respectively, subpopulations that differentially affect vascular remodeling in atherosclerosis. Here, we tested the hypothesis that bone marrow-derived cell (BMC)-specific CCR2 and CX3CR1 differentially control venular and arteriolar remodeling. Venular and arteriolar lumenal remodeling were observed by intravital microscopy in mice with either CCR2 or CX3CR1 deficient BMCs after implantation of a dorsal skinfold window chamber, a model in which arterioles and venules lumenally enlarge in wild-type (WT) mice. Arteriolar remodeling was abolished in mice with either CCR2 or CX3CR1-deficient BMCs. In contrast, the loss of CX3CR1 from BMCs, but not CCR2, significantly reduced small venule remodeling compared to WT controls. We conclude that microvascular remodeling is differentially regulated by BMC-expressed chemokine receptors. Both CCR2 and CX3CR1 regulate arteriole growth; however, only BMC-expressed CX3CR1 impacts small venule growth. These findings may provide a basis for additional investigations aimed at determining how patterns of monocyte subpopulation recruitment spatially influence microvascular remodeling.     

Structural Basis of Receptor Sulfotyrosine Recognition by a CC Chemokine: The N-Terminal Region of CCR3 Bound to CCL11/Eotaxin-1

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The CC chemokine MCP-1 stimulates surface expression of CX3CR1 and enhances the adhesion of monocytes to fractalkine/CX3CL1 via p38 MAPK

The membrane-anchored form of CX3CL1 has been proposed as a novel adhesion protein for leukocytes. This functional property of CX3CL1 is mediated through CX3CR1, a chemokine receptor expressed predominantly on circulating white blood cells. Thus far, it is still uncertain at what stage of the trafficking process CX3CR1 becomes importantly involved and how the CX3CR1-dependent adhesion of leukocytes is regulated during inflammation. The objective of this study was to examine the functional effects of chemokine stimulation on CX3CR1-mediated adhesion of human monocytes. Consistent with previous reports, our data indicate that the activity of CX3CR1 on resting monocytes is sufficient to mediate cell adhesion to CX3CL1. However, the basal, nonstimulated adhesion activity is low, and we hypothesized that like the integrins, CX3CR1 may require a preceding activation step to trigger firm leukocyte adhesion. Compatible with this hypothesis, stimulation of monocytes with MCP-1 significantly increased their adhesion to immobilized CX3CL1, under both static and physiological flow conditions. The increase of the adhesion activity was mediated through CCR2-dependent signaling and obligatory activation of the p38 MAPK pathway. Stimulation with MCP-1 also induced a rapid increase of CX3CR1 protein on the cell surface. Inhibition of the p38 MAPK pathway prevented this increase of CX3CR1 surface expression and blunted the effect of MCP-1 on cell adhesion, indicating a causal link between receptor surface density and adhesion activity. Together, our data suggest that a chemokine signal is required for firm CX3CR1-dependent adhesion and demonstrate that CCR2 is an important regulator of CX3CL1-dependent leukocyte adhesion.     

Polymorphism of human and primate RANTES,CX3CR1, CCR2 and CXCR4 genes with regard to HIV/SIV infection

Among genes that influence human susceptibility to HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infection or AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) progression, chemokine-receptor and chemokine genes were extensively studied because of their role as HIV co-receptors or co-receptor competitors, respectively. We have studied in non-human primates (chimpanzee, gorilla, gibbon, orang-utan, crab-eating and rhesus macaque, baboon and marmoset) the RANTES, CCR2 and CX₃CR1 gene sequences in regions surrounding human mutations that were associated with susceptibility to HIV or AIDS progression: RANTES G–403A and C–28G, CCR2 V64I, CX₃CR1 V249I and CX₃CR1 T280M. Among these five dimorphisms, only RANTES G–403A is observed in one of the eight primate species studied here (gibbon). This suggests that these mutations appeared recently in humans and probably do not account for variable HIV/SIV disease progression in primates. It is noteworthy that chimpanzees, which are naturally resistant to HIV-1- and HIV-2-induced AIDS, do not have the human mutations associated with delayed disease progression. Inter-species and intra-species polymorphic positions are observed in primates and we discuss the potential impact of these mutations on HIV/SIV disease progression. Particularly, we identified polymorphisms in old-world monkey (OWM) genes, and it could be of great importance to analyse the possible association between these polymorphisms and disease progression in OWM species that are currently used in research for HIV vaccine and therapy.