Browsing by Subject "Chemokine CCL2"

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    Myeloid-derived suppressor cells are involved in lysosomal acid lipase deficiency-induced endothelial cell dysfunctions
    (The American Association of Immunologists, 2014-08-15) Zhao, Ting; Ding, Xinchun; Du, Hong; Yan, Cong; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, IU School of Medicine
    The underlying mechanisms that lysosomal acid lipase (LAL) deficiency causes infiltration of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in multiple organs and subsequent inflammation remain incompletely understood. Endothelial cells (ECs), lining the inner layer of blood vessels, constitute barriers regulating leukocytes transmigration to the site of inflammation. Therefore, we hypothesized that ECs are dysfunctional in LAL-deficient (lal(-/-)) mice. We found that Ly6G(+) cells transmigrated more efficiently across lal(-/-) ECs than wild-type (lal(+/+)) ECs, which were associated with increased levels of PECAM-1 and MCP-1 in lal(-/-) ECs. In addition, lal(-/-) ECs showed enhanced migration and proliferation, decreased apoptosis, but impaired tube formation and angiogenesis. lal(-/-) ECs also suppressed T cell proliferation in vitro. Interestingly, lal(-/-) Ly6G(+) cells promoted in vivo angiogenesis (including a tumor model), EC tube formation, and proliferation. Finally, the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway was activated in lal(-/-) ECs, and inhibition of mTOR reversed EC dysfunctions, including decreasing Ly6G(+) cell transmigration, delaying migration, and relieving suppression of T cell proliferation, which was mediated by decreasing production of reactive oxygen species. Our results indicate that LAL regulates EC functions through interaction with MDSCs and modulation of the mTOR pathway, which may provide a mechanistic basis for targeting MDSCs or mTOR to rejuvenate EC functions in LAL deficiency-related diseases.
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    Nf1+/- monocytes/macrophages induce neointima formation via CCR2 activation
    (Oxford University Press, 2016-03-15) Bessler, Waylan K.; Kim, Grace; Hudson, Farlyn Z.; Mund, Julie A.; Mali, Raghuveer; Menon, Keshav; Kapur, Reuben; Clapp, D. Wade; Ingram Jr., David A.; Stansfield, Brian K.; Department of Pediatrics, IU School of Medicine
    Persons with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) have a predisposition for premature and severe arterial stenosis. Mutations in the NF1 gene result in decreased expression of neurofibromin, a negative regulator of p21(Ras), and increases Ras signaling. Heterozygous Nf1 (Nf1(+/-)) mice develop a marked arterial stenosis characterized by proliferating smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and a predominance of infiltrating macrophages, which closely resembles arterial lesions from NF1 patients. Interestingly, lineage-restricted inactivation of a single Nf1 allele in monocytes/macrophages is sufficient to recapitulate the phenotype observed in Nf1(+/-) mice and to mobilize proinflammatory CCR2+ monocytes into the peripheral blood. Therefore, we hypothesized that CCR2 receptor activation by its primary ligand monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) is critical for monocyte infiltration into the arterial wall and neointima formation in Nf1(+/-) mice. MCP-1 induces a dose-responsive increase in Nf1(+/-) macrophage migration and proliferation that corresponds with activation of multiple Ras kinases. In addition, Nf1(+/-) SMCs, which express CCR2, demonstrate an enhanced proliferative response to MCP-1 when compared with WT SMCs. To interrogate the role of CCR2 activation on Nf1(+/-) neointima formation, we induced neointima formation by carotid artery ligation in Nf1(+/-) and WT mice with genetic deletion of either MCP1 or CCR2. Loss of MCP-1 or CCR2 expression effectively inhibited Nf1(+/-) neointima formation and reduced macrophage content in the arterial wall. Finally, administration of a CCR2 antagonist significantly reduced Nf1(+/-) neointima formation. These studies identify MCP-1 as a potent chemokine for Nf1(+/-) monocytes/macrophages and CCR2 as a viable therapeutic target for NF1 arterial stenosis.