The chemorepellent Slit3 promotes monocyte migration

J Immunol. 2010 Dec 15;185(12):7691-8. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.0903898. Epub 2010 Nov 15.

Abstract

Directional migration is an essential step for monocytes to infiltrate sites of inflammation, a process primarily regulated by chemoattractants. Slits are large matrix proteins that are secreted by endothelial cells; they were reported to inhibit the chemoattractant-induced migration of different cell types, including leukocytes. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of Slit3 on primary monocyte migration and to address the underlying mechanisms. We show that Roundabout (Robo)1, one of the Robo receptors that recognize Slit3, is the only Robo homolog expressed by CD14(+) monocytes. Interestingly, we found that stimulation with Slit3 increased the spontaneous and chemoattractant-induced migration of primary monocytes in vitro and increased the myeloid cell recruitment during peritoneal inflammation in vivo. In addition, Slit3 did not seem to act as a chemoattractant itself; it promoted directed migration triggered by chemoattractants, such as CXCL12, by inducing a chemokinetic effect. We further show that Slit3 prevented monocyte spreading and induced rounding of spread monocytes without affecting monocyte adhesion. Stimulation with Slit3 was not associated with changes in the levels of phosphorylated p38, p42/p44, or Src, known regulators of monocyte migration, but it directly acts on molecular pathways involved in basal leukocyte migration by activating RhoA. These findings show an unexpected response of monocytes to Slit3 and add insights into the possible role of Slit proteins during inflammatory cell recruitment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Movement / immunology*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Chemokine CXCL12 / immunology
  • Chemokine CXCL12 / metabolism
  • Endothelial Cells / immunology*
  • Endothelial Cells / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Lipopolysaccharide Receptors
  • Membrane Proteins / immunology*
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / immunology
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / metabolism
  • Monocytes / cytology
  • Monocytes / immunology*
  • Monocytes / metabolism
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / immunology
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism
  • Receptors, Immunologic / immunology
  • Receptors, Immunologic / metabolism
  • Roundabout Proteins
  • rho GTP-Binding Proteins / immunology
  • rho GTP-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • rhoA GTP-Binding Protein / immunology
  • rhoA GTP-Binding Protein / metabolism

Substances

  • CXCL12 protein, human
  • Chemokine CXCL12
  • Cxcl12 protein, mouse
  • Lipopolysaccharide Receptors
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Receptors, Immunologic
  • SLIT3 protein, human
  • Slit3 protein, mouse
  • RHOA protein, human
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases
  • RhoA protein, mouse
  • rho GTP-Binding Proteins
  • rhoA GTP-Binding Protein