MACROPHAGE MIGRATION IN NORMOXIC AND
HYPOXIC CONDITIONS
Ferrer DG, Jaldín Fincati JR, Sánchez MC, Chiabrando GA.
CIBICI-CONICET, Depto Bioquímica Clínica Facultad de
Ci e n c i a s Qu ími c a s , Un i v Na c Có rd o b a . E-ma i l :
dferrer@bioclin.fcq.unc.edu.ar
Alpha2-Macroglobulin (a2M) is a proteinase inhibitor, which is
recognized by LDL receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1). Previously,
we demonstrated that a2M/LRP1 system induces intracellular
signaling activation, MMP-9 expression and cellular migration in
Raw264.7 macrophage-derived cell lines. It is known that tissue
macrophages play several inflammatory functions under hypoxic
conditions. Hypoxia is an inductor of LRP1 gene expression in
tumoral cells. However, the hypoxic effect on the LRP1 expression
and cell migration in macrophages has not been established. Herein
we investigated the a2M effect on the Raw264.7 cell migration
under cell cultured conditions of normoxia (O : 21%) and hypoxia 2
(O : 1.5%) using wound-healing assays. In addition, we have 2
examined the LRP1 gene and protein expression in Raw264.7 cells
using RT-PCR and Western blot. We observed that a2M induced an
increased cellular motility of RAW 264.7 cells in hypoxia compared
to normoxia. Under hypoxia, LRP1 presented an increased mRNA
and protein level compared to these cells cultured under normoxia.
In conclusion, our data demonstrate that a2M promotes an
increased cell migration of macrophages under hypoxia, which
together with the hypoxia-induced LRP1 expression may be
significant in the macrophage activity during inflammatory
processes.
