10 M-T7: measuring chemokine-modulating activity.

Abstract

Chemokines are important for activation of a host of cellular immune and inflammatory responses including cell signaling, activation, and communication. M-T7, a myxoma virus protein, inhibits the activity of chemokines by direct binding to chemokines and/or with glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). To study the effects of this chemokine-modulating protein (CMP), we use a variety of in vitro and in vivo techniques to evaluate M-T7 inhibition of inflammatory cells. To quickly analyze the effects of M-T7, changes in cell adhesion and membrane fluidity are measured as well as cell migration in mouse ascites. For more physiological analyses, an aortic transplant model in rodents is used to assess change in inflammatory cell infiltrates and vascular plaque growth (rejection). Utilization of the combination of these in vitro and in vivo techniques allows for a more complete study of the chemokine-modulating activity of M-T7, and can be used to study other immune and inflammation-modulating proteins.

• Authors: Mee Y Bartee, Erbin Dai, Liying Liu, Ganesh Munuswamy-Ramanujam, Colin Macaulay, Dana McIvor, Grant McFadden, Alexandra R Lucas
• Journal: Methods in enzymology (Methods Enzymol) Vol. 460 Pg. 209-28 ( 2009) ISSN: 1557-7988 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 19446727 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Chemokines
• Viral Proteins

Topics

• Animals
• Cell Adhesion (drug effects)
• Cell Line
• Cell Movement (drug effects)
• Chemokines (pharmacology)
• Humans
• Membrane Fluidity (drug effects)
• Mice
• Monocytes (drug effects)
• Myxoma virus (metabolism)
• Protein Binding (drug effects)
• Rabbits
• Rats
• Viral Proteins (pharmacology)