Background: Macrophages (Møs) have been demonstrated to play an important role in immune-mediated renal injury. Accumulation of macrophages in the mesangium has been reported to be a key event in the development of focal glomerulosclerosis. We hypothesized that mesangial cells (MCs) and matrix interaction may be a determinant for the migration of Møs into the mesangium. Therefore, we studied the effect of the interaction between matrix and MCs on the migration of Møs.
Methods: Mouse MCs were plated on Petri dishes coated either with buffer, collagen type I, III, IV, or Matrigel in media containing 1% fetal calf serum for 48 hours. Subsequently, supernatants were collected and stored. The effect of these supernatants (conditioned media) was evaluated on the migration of Møs across a filter in a modified Boyden chamber.
Results: Conditioned media from MCs grown on Matrigel (MC-Matrigel interaction products, MC-MGP) enhanced the migration of macrophages across a filter in a modified Boyden chamber when compared with conditioned media from MCs grown on plastic, collagen type I, type III, or type IV (MC-PP, MC-CI, MC-CIII, and MC-CIV). MC-MGP enhanced the migration of Møs in a dose dependent manner. Anti-MCP-1 antibodies attenuated (P < 0.05) the MC-MGP-induced Mø migration (MC-MGP, 16.8 +/- 2.5 vs MC-MGP + anti-MCP-1 antibody, 6.5 +/- 1.2 migrated macrophages/field, n = 12). Anti-TGF-beta antibodies did not attenuate MC-MGP-induced Mø migration. MCs grown on Matrigel showed a 5-fold increase of MCP-1 mRNA when compared with cells grown on plastic or collagen type IV.
Conclusions: The present study suggests that matrix components may modulate the migration of Møs. This effect of MC-matrix interaction on macrophage migration may be mediated through the generation of MCP-1.