Involvement of adenosine A3 receptors in the chemotactic navigation of macrophages towards apoptotic cells.

receptors (A3R) was studied in the chemotactic migration of macrophages directed by apoptotic thymocyte-derived find-me signals. By taking video images in vitro, we demonstrate 1, by administering apyrase, which degrades ATP and ADP, that the purinergic autocrine signaling is required for maintaining both the velocity and the directionality of macrophage migration towards the apoptotic thymocytes; 2, by readding 5'-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine, an adenosine analogue, to apyrase treated cells that the adenosine receptor signaling alone is sufficient to act so; and 3, by studying migration of various adenosine receptor null or adenosine receptor antagonist-treated macrophages, that the individual loss of the A3R signaling leads to the loss of chemotactic navigation. Though loss of A3Rs does not affect the phagocytotic capacity of macrophages, intraperitoneally-injected apoptotic thymocytes were cleared with a delayed kinetics by A3R null macrophages in vivo due to the impaired chemotactic navigation. All together these data demonstrate the involvement of macrophage A3Rs in the proper chemotactic navigation and consequent in vivo clearance of apoptotic cells. Interestingly, loss of A3Rs did not affect the in vivo clearance of apoptotic thymocytes in the dexamethasone-treated thymus.

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