Anti-infective peptide IDR-1002 augments monocyte chemotaxis towards CCR5 chemokines

Innate defense regulator (IDR) peptides are a class of immunomodulators which enhance and modulate host innate immune responses against microbial pathogens. While IDR-mediated protection against a range of bacterial pathogens is dependent on enhanced monocyte recruitment to the site of infection, the mechanisms through which they increase monocyte trafficking remain unclear. In this study, anti-infective peptide IDR-1002 was shown to enhance monocyte chemotaxis towards chemokines CCL3 and CCL5. This enhancement correlated with the selective upregulation of CCR5 surface expression by peptide-treated monocytes. It was found that IDR-1002 enhancement of monocyte chemotaxis was fully dependent on CCR5 function. Furthermore, IDR-1002 enhanced chemokine-induced monocyte p38 MAPK phosphorylation in a CCR5-dependent fashion. Overall, these results indicate that peptide IDR-1002 can selectively influence monocyte recruitment by host chemokines through the regulation of chemokine receptors.