title: Signal transduction by the chemokine receptor CXCR3: activation of Ras/ERK, Src, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt controls cell migration and proliferation in human vascular pericytes.
abstract: Hepatic stellate cells (HSC) and glomerular mesangial cells (MC) are tissue-specific pericytes involved in tissue repair, a process that is regulated by members of the chemokine family. In this study, we explored the signal transduction pathways activated by the chemokine receptor CXCR3 in vascular pericytes. In HSC, interaction of CXCR3 with its ligands resulted in increased chemotaxis and activation of the Ras/ERK cascade. Activation of CXCR3 also stimulated Src phosphorylation and kinase activity and increased the activity of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and its downstream pathway, Akt. The increase in ERK activity was inhibited by genistein and PP1, but not by wortmannin, indicating that Src activation is necessary for the activation of the Ras/ERK pathway by CXCR3. Inhibition of ERK activation resulted in a decreased chemotactic and mitogenic effect of CXCR3 ligands. In MC, which respond to CXCR3 ligands with increased DNA synthesis, CXCR3 activation resulted in a biphasic stimulation of ERK activation, a pattern similar to the one observed in HSC exposed to platelet-derived growth factor, indicating that this type of response is related to the stimulation of cell proliferation. These data characterize CXCR3 signaling in pericytes and clarify the relevance of downstream pathways in the modulation of different biologic responses.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Interna, University of Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bonacchi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Romagnani
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Romanelli
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Efsen
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Annunziato
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lasagni
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Francalanci
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Serio
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Laffi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pinzani
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gentilini
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marra
mesh_terms: D000730:Androstadienes / Q000494:pharmacology; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000166:cytology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002455:Cell Division; D002465:Cell Movement; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002633:Chemotaxis; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D019833:Genistein / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D008024:Ligands; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D020286:Pericytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases / Q000494:pharmacology; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011485:Protein Binding; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D054367:Receptors, CXCR3; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013997:Time Factors; D000077191:Wortmannin; D018631:ras Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D019061:src-Family Kinases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000730:Androstadienes; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004247:DNA; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D005419:Flavonoids; D019833:Genistein; D008024:Ligands; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D054367:Receptors, CXCR3; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D000077191:Wortmannin; D018631:ras Proteins; D019061:src-Family Kinases; C515187:CXCR3 protein, human; C494918:AKT1 protein, human; C093973:2-(2-amino-3-methoxyphenyl)-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one