Regulation of macrophage motility by Irgm1

IRG are a family of IFN-regulated proteins that are critical for resistance to infection. Mouse IRG proteins are divided into GMS and GKS subfamilies, based on a sequence within the G1 GTP-binding motif. The GMS proteins have a particularly profound impact on immunity, as typified by Irgm1, of which absence leads to a complete loss of resistance to a variety of intracellular bacteria and protozoa. The underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms are not clear. Here, we use time-lapse microscopy and cell-tracking analysis to demonstrate that Irgm1 is required for motility of IFN-gamma-activated macrophages. The absence of Irgm1 led to decreased actin remodeling at the leading edge of migrating macrophages, as well as decreased Rac activation. Although Irgm1 did not localize to the leading edge of migrating macrophages, it was found to regulate the localization of a GKS IRG protein, Irgb6, which in turn, concentrated on the plasma membrane in the advancing lamellipodia, in close apposition to molecular components that regulate membrane remodeling, including Rac, paxillin, and actin. Thus, Irgm1 likely controls macrophage motility by regulating the positioning of specific GKS IRG proteins to the plasma membrane, which in turn, modulate cytoskeletal remodeling and membrane dynamics.