CXCR4 dimerization and β-arrestin–mediated signaling account for the enhanced chemotaxis to CXCL12 in WHIM syndrome

B Lagane, KYC Chow, K Balabanian… - Blood, The Journal …, 2008 - ashpublications.org
B Lagane, KYC Chow, K Balabanian, A Levoye, J Harriague, T Planchenault, F Baleux…
Blood, The Journal of the American Society of Hematology, 2008ashpublications.org
Abstract WHIM (warts, hypogammaglobulinemia, infections, and myelokathexis) syndrome is
an immune deficiency linked in many cases to heterozygous mutations causing truncations
in the cytoplasmic tail of CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4). Leukocytes expressing
truncated CXCR4 display enhanced responses to the receptor ligand CXCL12, including
chemotaxis, which likely impair their trafficking and contribute to the immunohematologic
clinical manifestations of the syndrome. CXCR4 desensitization and endocytosis are …
Abstract
WHIM (warts, hypogammaglobulinemia, infections, and myelokathexis) syndrome is an immune deficiency linked in many cases to heterozygous mutations causing truncations in the cytoplasmic tail of CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4). Leukocytes expressing truncated CXCR4 display enhanced responses to the receptor ligand CXCL12, including chemotaxis, which likely impair their trafficking and contribute to the immunohematologic clinical manifestations of the syndrome. CXCR4 desensitization and endocytosis are dependent on β-arrestin (βarr) recruitment to the cytoplasmic tail, so that the truncated CXCR4 are refractory to these processes and so have enhanced G protein–dependent signaling. Here, we show that the augmented responsiveness of WHIM leukocytes is also accounted for by enhanced βarr2-dependent signaling downstream of the truncated CXCR4 receptor. Indeed, the WHIM-associated receptor CXCR41013 maintains association with βarr2 and triggers augmented and prolonged βarr2-dependent signaling, as revealed by ERK1/2 phosphorylation kinetics. Evidence is also provided that CXCR41013-mediated chemotaxis critically requires βarr2, and disrupting the SHSK motif in the third intracellular loop of CXCR41013 abrogates βarr2-mediated signaling, but not coupling to G proteins, and normalizes chemotaxis. We also demonstrate that CXCR41013 spontaneously forms heterodimers with wild-type CXCR4. Accordingly, we propose a model where enhanced functional interactions between βarr2 and receptor dimers account for the altered responsiveness of WHIM leukocytes to CXCL12.
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