Chemokine receptors transduce signals important for the function and trafficking of leukocytes. Recently, it has been shown that CC chemokine receptor (CCR)8 is selectively expressed by Th2 subsets, but its functional relevance is unclear. To address the biological role of CCR8, we generated CCR8 deficient (−/−) mice. Here we report defective T helper type 2 (Th2) immune responses in vivo in CCR8−/− mice in models of Schistosoma mansoni soluble egg antigen (SEA)-induced granuloma formation as well as ovalbumin (OVA)- and cockroach antigen (CRA)-induced allergic airway inflammation. In these mice, the response to SEA, OVA, and CRA showed impaired Th2 cytokine production that was associated with aberrant type 2 inflammation displaying a 50 to 80% reduction in eosinophils. In contrast, a prototypical Th1 immune response, elicited by Mycobacteria bovis purified protein derivative (PPD) was unaffected by CCR8 deficiency. Mechanistic analyses indicated that Th2 cells developed normally and that the reduction in eosinophil recruitment was likely due to systemic reduction in interleukin 5. These results indicate an important role for CCR8 in Th2 functional responses in vivo.

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Recently we reported that monocyte migration through a barrier of human synovial fibroblasts (HSF) is mediated by the CD11/CD18 (beta2) integrins, and the beta1 integrins VLA-4 and VLA-5 on monocytes. Here we investigated in parallel the role of beta2 integrin family members, LFA-1 (CD11a/CD18) and Mac-1 (CD11b/CD18) on monocytes, and the immunoglobulin supergene family members, ICAM-1 and ICAM-2 on HSF and on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), in monocyte migration through HSF and HUVEC monolayers. Using function blocking monoclonal antibodies (mAb), when both VLA-4 and VLA-5 on monocytes were blocked, treatment of monocytes with mAb to both LFA-1 and to Mac-1 completely inhibited monocyte migration across HSF barriers, although blocking either of these beta2 integrins alone had no effect on migration, even when VLA-4 and VLA-5 were blocked. This indicates that optimal beta2 integrin-dependent monocyte migration in synovial connective tissue may be mediated by either LFA-1 or Mac-1. Both ICAM-1 and ICAM-2 were constitutively expressed on HSF and on HUVEC, although ICAM-2 was only minimally expressed on HSF. Based on results of mAb blockade, ICAM-1 appeared to be the major ligand for LFA-1-dependent migration through the HSF. In contrast, both ICAM-1 and ICAM-2 mediated LFA-1-dependent monocyte migration through HUVEC. However, neither ICAM-1 nor ICAM-2 was required for Mac-1 -dependent monocyte migration through either cell barrier, indicating that Mac-1 can utilize ligands distinct from ICAM-1 and ICAM-2 on HSF and on HUVEC during monocyte transmigration.

SUMMARYAccumulation of leucocytes in inflamed lung tissue and alveolar space involves their migration through vascular endothelium and then lung connective tissue. As a model of this process, we investigated human polymorphonuclear leucocyte (PMNL) and monocyte migration through a biological barrier of human lung fibroblasts (HLF ) grown on polycarbonate filters. Very few PMNL (1-2%) or monocytes (3-8%) migrated through the HLF barriers spontaneously. Migration increased to 48-53% of added PMNL and 17-24% of added monocytes, when a C5a chemotactic gradient was present. The monocyte migration induced by C5a was not inhibited by monoclonal antibodies (mAb) to CD18 (b 2 integrins). This CD18-independent migration was partially inhibited (35%) by mAb to a 5 of VLA-5 and completely inhibited by the combination of mAb to a 4 of VLA-4 with mAb to VLA-5, in the presence of mAb to CD18. In contrast, PMNL migration across HLF induced by C5a was partially inhibited by mAb to CD18 alone, but even with the addition of mAb to VLA-4, VLA-5 and VLA-6, the greatest degree of inhibition was only 60%. Blocking the function of CD18 was not required to observe the inhibition by mAb to VLA-4, although the inhibitory effect of mAb to VLA-5 and VLA-6 alone or in combination was only observed when CD18 mechanisms were also blocked with anti-CD18 mAb. These results demonstrate that (a) both monocytes and PMNL can use either CD11/CD18 (b 2 integrin) or b 1 (CD49/CD29) integrins to migrate through HLF barriers; (b) in the case of monocytes, the VLA-4 and VLA-5 b 1 integrins account for essentially all the CD11/CD18-independent migration mechanisms; and (c) in contrast to monocytes, PMNL CD18-independent migration is mediated not only by VLA-4 and VLA-5, but also by VLA-6, and up to 40% of the migration appears to be via yet to be defined PMNL surface molecules.

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