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LSP1 modulates leukocyte populations in resting and inflamed peritoneum

Lymphocyte-specific protein 1, recently renamed leukocyte-specific protein 1 (LSP1), is an F-actin binding protein expressed in lymphocytes, macrophages, and neutrophils in mice and humans.

This study examines LSP1-deficient (Lsp1-/-) mice for the development of myeloid and lymphocytic cell populations and their response to the development of peritonitis induced by thioglycollate (TG) and to a T-dependent antigen.

LSP1-/- mice exhibit significantly higher levels of resident macrophages in the peritoneum compared to wild-type (wt) mice, whereas the development of myeloid cells is normal. This increase, which is specific for conventional CD5 macrophages appears to be tissue specific and does not result from differences in adhesion to the peritoneal mesothelium. The level of peritoneal lymphocytes is decreased in LSP1-/- mice without affecting a particular lymphocytic subset. The proportions of precursor and mature lymphocytes in the central and peripheral tissues of LSP1-/- mice are similar to those of wt mice and LSP1-/- mice mount a normal response to the T-dependent antigen, ovalbumin (OVA). On injection of TG, the LSP1-/- mice exhibit an accelerated kinetics of changes in peritoneal macrophage and neutrophil numbers as compared to wt including increased influx of these cells.

LSP1 neutrophils demonstrate an enhanced chemotactic response in vitro to N-formyl methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP) and to the C-X-C chemokine, KC, indicating that their enhanced influx into the peritoneum may be a result of increased motility. Our data demonstrate that LSP1 is a negative regulator of neutrophil chemotaxis.

http://bloodjournal.hematologylibrary.org/content/96/5/1827.full