Abstract.
Previous data from our group demonstrated that C-peptide induces chemotaxis of CD4-positive lymphocytes in-vitro, mediated by activation of G-protein and PI 3-kinase γ, but additional signalling pathways involved in this process remained unexplored. In the present study we further analyze intracellular signalling pathways which lead to C-peptide-induced CD4-positive lymphocyte migration. We provide evidence that C-peptide-induced chemotaxis of CD4-positive lymphocytes is critically dependent on activation of Src-kinase and RhoA, Rac-1 and Cdc42 GTPases. Furthermore, C-peptide stimulates phosphorylation of PAK, LIMK and cofilin downstream of Rac-1 and Cdc42, leading to cofilin inactivation and actin filament stabilization. In addition, C-peptide induces ROCK kinase activity and MLC phosphorylation downstream of RhoA, thereby stimulating myosin mediated cell contraction. In contrast, C-peptide does not activate ERK1/2, p38 or Akt in CD4-positive lymphocytes. Our data support an active role of C-peptide in CD4-positive lymphocyte chemotaxis and elucidate molecular mechanisms in C-peptide-induced cell migration.
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M. Aleksic, D. Walcher: These two authors contributed equally to this work.
Received 22 January 2009; received after revision 23 March 2009; accepted 23 March 2009
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Aleksic, M., Walcher, D., Giehl, K. et al. Signalling processes involved in C-peptide-induced chemotaxis of CD4-positive lymphocytes. Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 66, 1974–1984 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00018-009-9057-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00018-009-9057-y