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Title: MODULATION OF INFLAMMATION BY SLIT PROTEIN IN VIVO IN EXPERIMENTAL CRESCENTIC GLOMERULONEPHRITIS

Author
item KANELLIS, JOHN - UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE
item GARCIA, GABRIELA - BAYLOR COLLEGE MED
item PING, LI - BAYLOR COLLEGE MED
item PARRA, GUSTAVO - BAYLOR COLLEGE MED
item WILSON, CURTIS - SCRIPPS RESEARCH INST
item RAO, YI - WASH UNIV SCHOOL MED
item HAN, SUHUA - BAYLOR COLLEGE MED
item Smith, Wayne
item JOHNSON, RICHARD - BAYLOR COLLEGE MED
item WU, JANE - WASH UNIV SCHOOL MED
item FENG, LILI - BAYLOR COLLEGE MED

Submitted to: American Journal of Pathology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/12/2004
Publication Date: 7/1/2004
Citation: Kanellis, J., Garcia, G.E., Ping, L., Parra, G., Wilson, C.B., Rao, Y., Han, S., Smith, C.W., Johnson, R.J., Wu, J.Y., Feng, L. 2004. Modulation of inflammation by slit protein in vivo in experimental crescentic glomerulonephritis. American Journal of Pathology. 165:341-352.

Interpretive Summary: This paper deals with the basic mechanisms that control inflammation and innate immunity, important aspect of host defense and tissue injury that are affected by dietary factors. Here we have studied two proteins (called SLIT and ROBO) that were previously thought to only function in the control of the development of the nervous system. They are known to be important in the growth of neurons, limited the extent of growth of neuronal processes. We have found for the first time that these proteins are produced in leukocytes and blood vessel cells and that they function to inhibit the migration of leukocytes. It appears from the data that they serve under normal conditions to keep the leukocytes from inflaming normal tissue, and may serve to restore inflamed tissue to normal. These proteins are now added to the list of possible factors influenced by dietary alterations in host defense.

Technical Abstract: A basic conservation of cell migration guidance mechanisms in the nervous and immune systems was proposed when Slit , known for its role in axon guidance, was found to inhibit chemokine-induced leukocyte chemotaxis in vitro. These studies examined the role of Slit2 in modulating inflammation in vivo. In a rat model of glomerulonephritis, endogenous glomerular Slit2 expression fell after disease induction, and its inhibition during the early disease period accelerated inflammation. Ex vivo glomerular leukocytes showed decreased chemokine and chemoattractantinduced chemotaxis in response to Slit2, suggesting an anti-inflammatory role for glomerular Slit2. In contrast to the effect of inhibition, glomerulonephritis was ameliorated by systemic Slit2 administration. Slit2 treatment improved disease histologically and also improved renal function when given early in the disease course. Leukocytes harvested from rats receiving Slit2 showed decreased monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP)-1-mediated migration, consistent with a peripheral Slit2 effect. In keeping with this functional alteration, Slit2-mediated inhibition of RAW264.7 cell chemotaxis was associated with decreased levels of active cdc42 and Rac1, implicating GTPases in leukocyte Slit2 signaling. These findings suggest a role for endogenous Slit2 in the inhibition of chemoattractant-mediated signals, demonstrate a potentially important anti-inflammatory effect for Slit2 in vivo, and provide further evidence for conserved mechanisms guiding the process of migration in distinct cell types.