Regulation by CRAMP of the responses of murine peritoneal macrophages to extracellular ATP

Peritoneal macrophages were isolated from wild type (WT) mice and from mice invalidated for the P2X₇ receptor (KO) which had been pretreated with thioglycolate. In cells from WT mice, 1 mM ATP increased the intracellular concentration of calcium ([Ca²⁺]_i), the uptake of ethidium bromide, the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), the secretion of IL-1β, the release of oleic acid and of lactate dehydrogenase; it decreased the intracellular concentration of potassium ([K⁺]_i). In KO mice, ATP transiently increased the [Ca²⁺]_i confirming that the P2X₇ receptor is a major receptor of peritoneal macrophages. WKYMVm, an agonist of receptors for formylated peptides (FPR) also increased the [Ca²⁺]_i in murine macrophages. The slight increase of the [Ca²⁺]_i was strongly potentiated by ivermectin confirming the expression of functional P2X₄ receptors by murine peritoneal macrophages. CRAMP, the unique antimicrobial peptide derived from cathelin in mouse inhibited all the responses coupled to P2X₇ receptors in macrophages from WT mice. Agonists for FPR had no effect on the increase of the [Ca²⁺]_i in response to ATP. CRAMP had no effect on the increase of the [Ca²⁺]_i evoked by a combination of ATP and ivermectin in macrophages from P2X₇-KO mice.In summary CRAMP inhibits the responses secondary to the activation of the murine P2X₇ receptors expressed by peritoneal macrophages. This inhibition is not mediated by FPR receptors and is specific since CRAMP has no effect on the response coupled to P2X₄ receptors. It can thus be concluded that the interaction between P2X₇ receptors and cathelin-derived antimicrobial peptides is species-specific, in some cases (man) positive in others (mouse) negative.