Activation of Wnt5A signaling is required for CXC chemokine ligand 12-mediated T-cell migration

Blood. 2009 Aug 13;114(7):1366-73. doi: 10.1182/blood-2008-08-175869. Epub 2009 Jun 11.

Abstract

Chemokines mediate the signaling and migration of T cells, but little is known about the transcriptional events involved therein. Microarray analysis of CXC chemokine ligand (CXCL) 12-treated T cells revealed that Wnt ligands are significantly up-regulated during CXCL12 treatment. Real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis confirmed that the expression of noncanonical Wnt pathway members (eg, Wnt5A) was specifically up-regulated during CXCL12 stimulation, whereas beta-catenin and canonical Wnt family members were selectively down-regulated. Wnt5A augmented signaling through the CXCL12-CXCR4 axis via the activation of protein kinase C. Moreover, Wnt5A expression was required for CXCL12-mediated T-cell migration, and rWnt5A sensitized human T cells to CXCL12-induced migration. Furthermore, Wnt5A expression was also required for the sustained expression of CXCR4. These results were further supported in vivo using EL4 thymoma metastasis as a model of T-cell migration. Together, these data demonstrate that Wnt5A is a critical mediator of CXCL12-CXCR4 signaling and migration in human and murine T cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Movement / genetics
  • Cell Movement / immunology*
  • Chemokine CXCL12 / genetics
  • Chemokine CXCL12 / immunology*
  • Chemokine CXCL12 / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, Mutant Strains
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / immunology*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / metabolism
  • Receptors, CXCR4 / genetics
  • Receptors, CXCR4 / immunology
  • Receptors, CXCR4 / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction / genetics
  • Signal Transduction / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • Up-Regulation / genetics
  • Up-Regulation / immunology
  • Wnt Proteins / genetics
  • Wnt Proteins / immunology*
  • Wnt Proteins / metabolism
  • Wnt-5a Protein
  • beta Catenin / genetics
  • beta Catenin / immunology

Substances

  • CXCL12 protein, human
  • CXCR4 protein, human
  • CXCR4 protein, mouse
  • Chemokine CXCL12
  • Cxcl12 protein, mouse
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • Receptors, CXCR4
  • WNT5A protein, human
  • Wnt Proteins
  • Wnt-5a Protein
  • Wnt5a protein, mouse
  • beta Catenin