Blood lymphocyte numbers, essential for the development of efficient immune responses, are maintained by recirculation through secondary lymphoid organs. We show that lymphocyte trafficking is altered by the lysophospholipid sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) and by a phosphoryl metabolite of the immunosuppressive agent FTY720. Both species were high-affinity agonists of at least four of the five S1P receptors. These agonists produce lymphopenia in blood and thoracic duct lymph by sequestration of lymphocytes in lymph nodes, but not spleen. S1P receptor agonists induced emptying of lymphoid sinuses by retention of lymphocytes on the abluminal side of sinus-lining endothelium and inhibition of egress into lymph. Inhibition of lymphocyte recirculation by activation of S1P receptors may result in therapeutically useful immunosuppression.

The lyso-phospholipid sphingosine 1-phosphate modulates lymphocyte trafficking, endothelial development and integrity, heart rate, and vascular tone and maturation by activating G-protein-coupled sphingosine 1-phosphate receptors. Here we present the crystal structure of the sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor 1 fused to T4-lysozyme (S1P1-T4L) in complex with an antagonist sphingolipid mimic. Access to the binding pocket is completely occluded by the N-terminus and extracellular loops of the receptor. Access is gained by ligands entering laterally between helices I and VII within the transmembrane region of the receptor. This structure, along with mutagenesis, agonist structure-activity relationship data and modeling, provides a detailed view of the molecular recognition and hydrophobic volume triggering that activates S1P1 resulting in the modulation of immune and stromal cell responses.

Summary Cytokine storm during viral infection is a prospective predictor of morbidity and mortality, yet the cellular sources remain undefined. Here, using genetic and chemical tools to probe functions of the S1P1 receptor, we elucidate cellular and signaling mechanisms important in initiating cytokine storm. While S1P1 receptor is expressed on endothelial cells and lymphocytes within lung tissue, S1P1 agonism suppresses cytokines and innate immune cell recruitment in wild-type and lymphocyte deficient mice, identifying endothelial cells as central regulators of cytokine storm. Furthermore, our data reveal immune cell infiltration and cytokine production as distinct events both orchestrated by endothelial cells. Moreover, we demonstrate that suppression of early innate immune responses through S1P1 signaling results in reduced mortality during infection with a human pathogenic strain of influenza virus. Modulation of endothelium with a specific agonist suggests that diseases where amplification of cytokine storm is a significant pathological component could be chemically tractable.

Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) is a biologically active lysophospholipid that transmits signals through a family of G-protein-coupled receptors to control cellular differentiation and survival, as well as the vital functions of several types of immune cell. In this Review article, we discuss recent results that indicate that S1P and its receptors are required for the emigration of thymocytes from the thymus, the trafficking of lymphocytes in secondary lymphoid organs and the migration of B cells into splenic follicles. In an autocrine manner, through interactions with different G-protein-coupled receptors, S1P also enhances optimal mast-cell migration and release of pro-inflammatory mediators in allergic reactions. S1P-S1P-receptor regulatory systems might therefore be novel targets for the therapy of diverse immunological diseases.

Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) influences heart rate, coronary artery caliber, endothelial integrity, and lymphocyte recirculation through five related high affinity G-protein-coupled receptors. Inhibition of lymphocyte recirculation by non-selective S1P receptor agonists produces clinical immunosuppression preventing transplant rejection but is associated with transient bradycardia. Understanding the contribution of individual receptors has been limited by the embryonic lethality of the S1P 1 knock-out and the unavailability of selective agonists or antagonists. A potent, S1P 1 -receptor selective agonist structurally unrelated to S1P was found to activate multiple signals triggered by S1P, including guanosine 5 -3-O-(thio)triphosphate binding, calcium flux, Akt and ERK1/2 phosphorylation, and stimulation of migration of S1P 1 -but not S1P 3 -expressing cells in vitro. The agonist also alters lymphocyte trafficking in vivo. Use of selective agonism together with deletant mice lacking S1P 3 receptor reveals that agonism of S1P 1 receptor alone is sufficient to control lymphocyte recirculation. Moreover, S1P 1 receptor agonist plasma levels are causally associated with induction and maintenance of lymphopenia. S1P 3 , and not S1P 1 , is directly implicated in sinus bradycardia. The sustained bradycardia induced by S1P receptor nonselective immunosuppressive agonists in wild-type mice is abolished in S1P 3 ؊/؊ mice, whereas S1P 1 -selective agonist does not produce bradycardia. Separation of receptor subtype usage for control of lymphocyte recirculation and heart rate may allow the identification of selective immunosuppressive S1P 1 receptor agonists with an enhanced therapeutic window. S1P 1 -selective agonists will be of broad utility in understanding cell functions in vitro, and vascular physiology in vivo, and the success of the chemical approach for S1P 1 suggests that selective tools for the resolution of function across this broad lipid receptor family are now possible.Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P), 1 through its high affinity G-protein-coupled receptors, is a physiological mediator with widespread effects upon multiple physiological systems (1). It regulates heart rate (2), coronary artery blood flow (3), blood pressure (4), endothelial integrity in lung (5, 6) and most recently has been shown to regulate the recirculation of lymphocytes (7-11). Many of the physiologically relevant functions occur in the low nanomolar range, including activation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (12, 13), vasorelaxation (14), and inhibition of thymic egress and lymphocyte recirculation (11). Free plasma levels of S1P are tightly regulated by protein binding to albumin and high density lipoprotein to avoid the deleterious effects of systemic S1P receptor subtype activation at high concentrations of ligand, such as bradycardia and coronary artery vasospasm (3, 15). The choice of S1P, through its receptors, as an acute regulator of the number of blood lymphocytes may represent an interesting evolutionary choice by the immun...