Plasminogen and plasmin can bind to human T cells and generate truncated CCL21 that increases dendritic cell chemotactic responses

• DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102112
• Publication Date: 2022-06-09T19:12:15Z
• Authors: Evert J. Loef; Hilary M. Sheppard; Nigel P. Birch; P. Rod Dunbar
• Keywords: CCL21; Monocyte

Plasmin is a broad-spectrum protease and therefore needs to be tightly regulated. Active plasmin formed from plasminogen, which found in high concentrations the blood converted by plasminogen activators. In circulation, levels of α2-antiplasmin rapidly efficiently inhibit activity. Certain myeloid immune cells have been shown bind on their cell surface via proteins that plasmin(ogen) kringle domains. Our earlier work showed T can activate but they do not themselves express plasminogen. Here, we demonstrate several known receptors surface. We show cell-bound was activators upon activation. To examine functional consequences generation activated cells, investigated its effect chemokine, C-C motif chemokine ligand 21 (CCL21). Video microscopy Western blotting confirmed bound human cleaves CCL21 increases chemotactic response monocyte-derived dendritic toward higher along concentration gradient increasing directional migration track straightness. These results how migrating potentially other may co-opt powerful proteolytic system plasma processes peripheral tissues, where more likely absent. propose strongly modulate responses tissues.