Fractalkine-mediated signals regulate cell-survival and immune-modulatory responses in intestinal epithelial cells

In this study, we determined the signal transduction and functional consequences after ligand-specific activation of the fractalkine receptor CX3CR1 in human intestinal epithelial cells.

CX3CR1 expression in human colonic tissues and intestinal epithelial cell lines was determined by immunohistochemistry, immunoblotting, and reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. The regulation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation was assessed by immunoblotting. Regulation of chemokine messenger RNA (mRNA) expression was determined by Northern blotting. NF-kappa B and p53 activation was assessed by electromobility shift assays.

Fractalkine mediated the MEK-1 and G alpha i-dependent but phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase-independent activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase-MAPK. Fractalkine activated NF-kappa B and p53 resulting in interleukin 8 and fractalkine mRNA expression. CX3CR1-mediated activation of intestinal epithelial cells was able to induce migration of human neutrophils into but not through the intestinal epithelial cell monolayer.

CX3CR1 mediates distinct functional responses in intestinal epithelial cells, which include the autocrine regulation of cell-survival signals and activation of immune modulators, indicating a role of CX3CR1 in host defense mechanisms originating from the intestinal epithelium.