title: 10 M-T7: measuring chemokine-modulating activity.
abstract: Chemokines are important for activation of a host of cellular immune and inflammatory responses including cell signaling, activation, and communication. M-T7, a myxoma virus protein, inhibits the activity of chemokines by direct binding to chemokines and/or with glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). To study the effects of this chemokine-modulating protein (CMP), we use a variety of in vitro and in vivo techniques to evaluate M-T7 inhibition of inflammatory cells. To quickly analyze the effects of M-T7, changes in cell adhesion and membrane fluidity are measured as well as cell migration in mouse ascites. For more physiological analyses, an aortic transplant model in rodents is used to assess change in inflammatory cell infiltrates and vascular plaque growth (rejection). Utilization of the combination of these in vitro and in vivo techniques allows for a more complete study of the chemokine-modulating activity of M-T7, and can be used to study other immune and inflammation-modulating proteins.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: Mee Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Bartee
authors.forename: Erbin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Liying
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ganesh
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Munuswamy-Ramanujam
authors.forename: Colin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Macaulay
authors.forename: Dana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McIvor
authors.forename: Grant
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: McFadden
authors.forename: Alexandra R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Lucas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D018925:Chemokines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008560:Membrane Fluidity / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D009000:Monocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D009233:Myxoma virus / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000187:drug effects; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D018925:Chemokines; D014764:Viral Proteins