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Effect of M1–M2 Polarization on the Motility and Traction Stresses of Primary Human Macrophages

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Abstract

Macrophages become polarized by cues in their environment and this polarization causes a functional change in their behavior. Two main subsets of polarized macrophages have been described. M1, or “classically activated” macrophages, are pro-inflammatory and M2, or “alternatively activated” macrophages, are anti-inflammatory. In this study, we investigated the motility and force generation of primary human macrophages polarized down the M1 and M2 pathways using chemokinesis assays and traction force microscopy on polyacrylamide gels. We found that M1 macrophages are significantly less motile and M2 macrophages are significantly more motile than unactivated M0 macrophages. We also showed that M1 macrophages generate significantly less force than M0 or M2 macrophages. We further found that M0 and M2, but not M1, macrophage force generation is dependent on ROCK signaling, as identified using the chemical inhibitor Y27632. Finally, using the chemical inhibitor blebbistatin, we found that myosin contraction is required for force generation by M0, M1, and M2 macrophages. This study represents the first investigation of the changes in the mechanical motility mechanisms used by macrophages after polarization.

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Abbreviations

CCR7:

C-C chemokine receptor type 7

CCL22:

C-C chemokine ligand type 22

IFNγ:

Interferon-gamma

IL-12, -23, -4, -10, -1β:

Interleukin-12, 23, 4, 10, 1β

LPS:

Lipopolysaccharide

M-CSF:

Macrophage colony stimulating factor

MMP9:

Matrix metallopeptidase 9

N-6:

N-6-((acryloyl)amino)hexanoic acid

ROCK:

RhoA Kinase

TNFα:

Tumor necrosis factor alpha

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Acknowledgment

This work was supported by NIH GM1094287 and HL18208.

Conflict of Interest

Laurel E. Hind, Emily B. Lurier, Micah Dembo, Kara L. Spiller, and Daniel A. Hammer declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Ethical Standards

All human subjects research was carried out in accordance with institutional guidelines and was approved by a University of Pennsylvania Institutional Review Board under HL18208. The authors performed no animal studies in this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, 240 Skirkanich Hall, 210 S. 33rd Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA

    Laurel E. Hind & Daniel A. Hammer

  2. Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Daniel A. Hammer

  3. School of Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Emily B. Lurier & Kara L. Spiller

  4. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA

    Micah Dembo

Authors
  1. Laurel E. Hind
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  2. Emily B. Lurier
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  5. Daniel A. Hammer
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Daniel A. Hammer.

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Associate Editor Michael R. King oversaw the review of this article.

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Supplementary Video 1

M0-M1-M2 macrophages migrating on 10,400 Pa polyacrylamide gels coated with 5 µg/mL fibronectin. Left: M0, Center: M1, Right: M2. Supplementary material 1 (AVI 10991 kb)

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Hind, L.E., Lurier, E.B., Dembo, M. et al. Effect of M1–M2 Polarization on the Motility and Traction Stresses of Primary Human Macrophages. Cel. Mol. Bioeng. 9, 455–465 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12195-016-0435-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12195-016-0435-x

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