Motor Protein Myosin Ii Regulates Temperature Sensitivity Of Immune Cells

Temperature is simply a cardinal physiological facet that determines nan velocity of immune reactions. While this whitethorn look obvious, it has remained mostly unexplored astatine nan single-cell level-until now. Stefan Wieser from nan Institute of Zoology astatine nan University of Innsbruck and his colleagues study successful Developmental Cell that nan centrifugal macromolecule Myosin II regulates nan somesthesia sensitivity of immune cells and drives nan acceleration of immune responses astatine elevated assemblage temperature.

Wieser first noticed that somesthesia affects nan activity of immune cells wrong nan assemblage astir 10 years ago, done elemental cell-culture experiments conducted astatine nan Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA). He observed that gradually expanding nan incubator somesthesia from 20 °C to 40 °C dramatically altered immune-cell motility: nan warmer nan environment, nan faster nan cells moved-while astatine 20 °C they almost wholly stopped. But uncovering nan molecular system down this arena took galore much years.

"It sounds surprising, because nan thought that immune cells respond to somesthesia seems obvious," explains nan biophysicist, "yet location was nary hint arsenic to really this system could activity astatine nan molecular level." Together pinch co-author Verena Ruprecht, Wieser now investigates specified questions successful nan recently established Quantitative Biology (QBIO) group astatine nan Institute of Zoology.

The taxable ne'er near him. During his clip arsenic a group leader astatine nan Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO) successful Barcelona, Wieser had nan opportunity to study somesthesia sensitivity successful immune cells systematically-both successful compartment cultures and successful surviving organisms specified arsenic zebrafish and mice-using a custom-built thermo-microscope. The team's results are presented successful nan existent rumor of Developmental Cell.

Myosin II successful feverish motion

When nan somesthesia accrued from 25 °C ("cold") to 37 °C ("normal") and 41 °C ("fever"), respective types of quality leukocytes-including T cells, macrophages, dendritic cells, and neutrophils-showed a marked emergence successful migration velocity and a importantly higher number of cells entering lymphatic vessels wrong a short time.

By 'significant' we mean up to a tenfold summation successful speed, which tin drastically shorten nan clip it takes immune cells to scope lymphatic vessels."

Stefan Wieser, Institute of Zoology, University of Innsbruck 

Moreover, leukocytes responded almost instantaneously-within seconds-to somesthesia changes. "This intelligibly pointed to a biophysical mechanism, faster than immoderate gene-regulation process," he adds.

Using a blase fluorescence-microscopy setup that allows precise somesthesia power astatine nan single-cell level, Wieser and his colleagues were capable to pinpoint nan underlying mechanism: nan centrifugal macromolecule Myosin II. Known for its roles successful compartment motility, compartment division, and musculus contraction, Myosin II increases its expertise to make mechanical unit via ATP erstwhile temperatures emergence supra 37 °C-thus propelling immune cells much rapidly. Myosin II is truthful nan cardinal driver of an businesslike immune consequence nether fever-like conditions.

"Our study shows that somesthesia is simply a important physiological power parameter that autonomously modulates some velocity and morphological dynamics astatine nan single-cell level successful warm- and cold-blooded type alike," Wieser concludes. He sees nan findings arsenic a starting constituent for caller investigation questions-particularly successful physiology and immunology.