title: Migratory Response of Human NK Cells to Monocyte-Chemotactic Proteins
abstract: NK cells are present mostly in blood and spleen but under certain pathological and physiological conditions rapidly accumulate at extrahematic sites. The present study investigates the responsiveness of NK cells to C-C chemokines and the mechanisms of emigration from the bloodstream. MCP-1 induced migration across polycarbonate filters of IL-2-activated NK cells, whereas it was a weak attractant for unstimulated cells. The related chemokines MCP-2 and MCP-3 were also active. IL-2-activated NK cells showed specific binding sites for labeled MCP-1, and cell migration was inhibited by both cholera and Bordetella pertussis toxins. In agreement with functional assays the expression of mRNA specific for MCP-1 receptors was detectable only in IL-2-activated NK cells. The ability of NK cells to respond to MCP-1 and related chemokines may be one important determinant of NK cell emigration and recruitment in tissues.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology and Cell Biology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri,", Via Eritrea 62, Milan, 20157, Italy
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Allavena
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bianchi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Giardina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Polentarutti
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Introna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sozzani
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mantovani