We have investigated how LTB₄, an endogenous chemoattractant encountered early in the inflammatory process, and fMLP, a bacteria-derived chemotactic peptide emanating from the site of infection, mediate inside-out regulation of the β₂-integrin. The role of the two chemoattractants on β₂-integrin avidity was investigated by measuring their effect on β₂-integrin clustering and surface mobility, whereas their effect on β₂-integrin affinity was measured by the expression of a high affinity epitope, a ligand-binding domain on β₂-integrins, and by integrin binding to s-ICAM. We find that the two chemoattractants modulate the β₂-integrin differently. LTB₄ induces an increase in integrin clustering and surface mobility, but only a modest increase in integrin affinity. fMLP evokes a large increase in β₂-integrin affinity as well as in clustering and mobility. Lipoxin, which acts as a stop signal for the functions mediated by pro-inflammatory agents, was used as a tool for further examining the inside-out mechanisms. While LTB₄-induced integrin clustering and mobility were inhibited by lipoxin, only a minor inhibition of fMLP-induced β₂-integrin avidity and no inhibition of integrin affinity were detected. The different modes of the inside-out regulation of β₂-integrins suggest that distinct mechanisms are involved in the β₂-integrin modulation induced by various chemoattractants.

Lipophosphoglycan (LPG), the major surface glycoconjugate on Leishmania donovani promastigotes, is crucial for the establishment of infection inside macrophages. LPG comprises a polymer of repeating Gal beta 1,4Man alpha-PO4 attached to a lysophosphatidylinositol membrane anchor. LPG is transferred from the parasite to the host macrophage membrane during phagocytosis and induces periphagosomal F-actin accumulation correlating with an inhibition of phagosomal maturation. The biophysical properties of LPG suggest that it may be intercalated into membrane rafts of the host-cell membrane. The aim of this study was to investigate if the effects of LPG on phagosomal maturation are mediated via action on membrane rafts. We show that LPG accumulates in rafts during phagocytosis of L. donovani and that disruption of membrane rafts abolished the effects of LPG on periphagosomal F-actin and phagosomal maturation, indicating that LPG requires intact membrane rafts to manipulate host-cell functions. We conclude that LPG associates with membrane rafts in the host cell and exert its actions on host-cell actin and phagosomal maturation through subversion of raft function.

Leishmania donovani promastigotes, the causative agent of visceral leishmaniasis, survive inside macrophages by inhibiting phagosomal maturation. The main surface glycoconjugate on promastigotes, lipophosphoglycan (LPG), is crucial for parasite survival. LPG has several detrimental effects on macrophage function, including inhibition of periphagosomal filamentous actin (F-actin) breakdown during phagosomal maturation. However, in RAW 264.7 macrophages pre-stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and interferon ? (IFN?), known to up-regulate inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and nitric oxide (NO) production, L. donovani promastigotes are unable to inhibit periphagosomal F-actin breakdown and phagosomal maturation proceeds normally. Moreover, the iNOS inhibitor aminoguanidine, blocked the positive effects of LPS/IFN? suggesting that NO is a key player in F-actin remodeling. In conclusion, production of NO by stimulated macrophages seems to allow phagosomal maturation following uptake of L. donovani promastigotes, suggesting a novel mechanism whereby NO facilitates killing of an intracellular pathogen. © 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Lipoarabinomannan (LAM) is one of the key virulence factors for Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the etiological agent of tuberculosis. During uptake of mycobacteria, LAM interacts with the cell membrane of the host macrophage and can be detected throughout the cell upon infection. LAM can inhibit phagosomal maturation as well as induce a proinflammatory response in bystander cells. The aim of this study was to investigate how LAM exerts its action on human macrophages. We show that LAM is incorporated into membrane rafts of the macrophage cell membrane via its glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor and that incorporation of mannose-capped LAM from M. tuberculosis results in reduced phagosomal maturation. This is dependent on successful insertion of the glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor. LAM does not, however, induce the phagosomal maturation block through activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, contradicting some previous suggestions.

Uptake and killing of microorganisms by neutrophils involve tightly regulated membrane traffic events that are governed by complex signals. Many of these are raft-associated, which implies that raft dynamics may be important during phagosome formation. Locally restricted, calcium-dependent, parallel upregulation of markers for membrane rafts and azurophilic granules was observed at the site of phagocytosis of IgG-opsonized prey in human neutrophils. Subsequent internalization of the prey reduced the levels of these markers in the plasma membrane. Streptococcus pyogenes bacteria, that can survive phagocytosis by neutrophils, modulated phagosomal raft acquisition by means of M proteins. Continued, but not early, delivery of rafts to the membrane of phagosomes in neutrophils and HL-60 cells was independent of calcium, as was fusion between azurophilic granules and phagosomes. Nevertheless, calcium depletion affected bacterial killing kinetics. These findings suggest that early delivery of membrane rafts is important for phagosomal maturation in neutrophils and provide new mechanistic insight into the processes required for generation of bactericidal phagosomes.