Role of protein kinase C α for uptake of unopsonized prey and phagosomal maturation in macrophages

• Protein kinase C α (PKCα) participates in F-actin remodeling during phagocytosis and phagosomal maturation in macrophages. Leishmania donovani promastigotes, which inhibit phagosomal maturation, cause accumulation of periphagosomal F-actin instead of the dissassembly observed around other prey [Cell. Microbiol. 7 (2001) 439]. This accumulation is induced by promastigote lipophosphoglycan (LPG), which has several effects on macrophages including inhibition of PKCα. To investigate a possible connection between PKCα and LPG’s effects on actin dynamics, we utilized RAW264.7 macrophages overexpressing dominant-negative PKCα (DN PKCα). We found increased cortical F-actin and decreased phagocytic capacity, as well as defective periphagosomal F-actin breakdown and inhibited phagosomal maturation in the DN PKCα-overexpressing cells, effects similar to those seen in controls subjected to LPG-coated prey. The results indicate that PKCα is involved in F-actin turnover in macrophages and that PKCα-dependent breakdown of periphagosomal F-actin is required for phagosomal maturation, and endorse the hypothesis that intracellular survival of L. donovani involves inhibition of PKCα by LPG.

Nyckelord

PKCα

Actin

Phagocytosis

Macrophage

Lipophosphoglycan

MEDICINE

MEDICIN

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)