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Updated: May 19, 2026

Real-Time In Vitro Migration Assay for Primary Murine CD8+ T Cells
Published on: May 24, 2024
Chemokine-dependent T cell migration requires aquaporin-3-mediated hydrogen peroxide uptake
Mariko Hara-Chikuma1, Shunsuke Chikuma, Yoshinori Sugiyama
1Department of Dermatology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan. haramari@kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp
Abstract:
Chemokine-dependent trafficking is indispensable for the effector function of antigen-experienced T cells during immune responses. In this study, we report that the water/glycerol channel aquaporin-3 (AQP3) is expressed on T cells and regulates their trafficking in cutaneous immune reactions. T cell migration toward chemokines is dependent on AQP3-mediated hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) uptake but not the canonical water/glycerol transport. AQP3-mediated H(2)O(2) transport is essential for the activation of the Rho family GTPase Cdc42 and the subsequent actin dynamics. Coincidentally, AQP3-deficient mice are defective in the development of hapten-induced contact hypersensitivity, which is attributed to the impaired trafficking of antigen-primed T cells to the hapten-challenged skin. We therefore suggest that AQP3-mediated H(2)O(2) uptake is required for chemokine-dependent T cell migration in sufficient immune response.
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