L-plastin regulates polarization and migration in chemokine-stimulated human T lymphocytes

J Immunol. 2012 Jun 15;188(12):6357-70. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1103242. Epub 2012 May 11.

Abstract

Chemokines such as SDF-1α play a crucial role in orchestrating T lymphocyte polarity and migration via polymerization and reorganization of the F-actin cytoskeleton, but the role of actin-associated proteins in this process is not well characterized. In this study, we have investigated a role for L-plastin, a leukocyte-specific F-actin-bundling protein, in SDF-1α-stimulated human T lymphocyte polarization and migration. We found that L-plastin colocalized with F-actin at the leading edge of SDF-1α-stimulated T lymphocytes and was also phosphorylated at Ser(5), a site that when phosphorylated regulates the ability of L-plastin to bundle F-actin. L-plastin phosphorylation was sensitive to pharmacological inhibitors of protein kinase C (PKC), and several PKC isoforms colocalized with L-plastin at the leading edge of SDF-1α-stimulated lymphocytes. However, PKC ζ, an established regulator of cell polarity, was the only isoform that regulated L-plastin phosphorylation. Knockdown of L-plastin expression with small interfering RNAs demonstrated that this protein regulated the localization of F-actin at the leading edge of chemokine-stimulated cells and was also required for polarization, lamellipodia formation, and chemotaxis. Knockdown of L-plastin expression also impaired the Rac1 activation cycle and Akt phosphorylation in response to SDF-1α stimulation. Furthermore, L-plastin also regulated SDF-1α-mediated lymphocyte migration on the integrin ligand ICAM-1 by influencing velocity and persistence, but in a manner that was independent of LFA-1 integrin activation or adhesion. This study, therefore, demonstrates an important role for L-plastin and the signaling pathways that regulate its phosphorylation in response to chemokines and adds L-plastin to a growing list of proteins implicated in T lymphocyte polarity and migration.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Actins / immunology
  • Actins / metabolism
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cell Polarity / immunology*
  • Chemokines / immunology
  • Chemokines / metabolism
  • Chemotaxis, Leukocyte / immunology*
  • Cytoskeleton / immunology
  • Cytoskeleton / metabolism
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
  • Gene Knockdown Techniques
  • Humans
  • Lymphocyte Activation / immunology
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / immunology
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / metabolism*
  • Microfilament Proteins / immunology
  • Microfilament Proteins / metabolism*
  • Phosphorylation
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Signal Transduction / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes / metabolism*

Substances

  • Actins
  • Chemokines
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • Microfilament Proteins
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • plastin