UCSF

Myeloid leukocyte recruitment into the lung in response to environmental cues represents a key factor for the induction of lung damage. We report that Hck- and Fgr-deficient mice show a profound impairment in early recruitment of neutrophils and monocytes in response to bacterial LPS. The reduction in interstitial and airway neutrophil recruitment was not due to a cell-intrinsic migratory defect, because Hck- and Fgr-deficient neutrophils were attracted to the airways by the chemokine CXCL2 as wild type cells. However, early accumulation of chemokines and TNF-α in the airways was reduced in hck(-/-)fgr(-/-) mice. Considering that chemokine and TNF-α release into the airways was neutrophil independent, as suggested by a comparison between control and neutrophil-depleted mice, we examined LPS-induced chemokine secretion by neutrophils and macrophages in wild type and mutant cells. Notably, mutant neutrophils displayed a marked deficit in their capability to release the chemokines CXCL1, CXCL2, CCL3, and CCL4 and TNF-α in response to LPS. However, intracellular accumulation of these chemokines and TNF-α, as well as secretion of a wide array of cytokines, including IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-10, by hck(-/-)fgr(-/-) neutrophils was normal. Intriguingly, secretion of CXCL1, CXCL2, CCL2, CCL3, CCL4, RANTES, and TNF-α, but not IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, and GM-CSF, was also markedly reduced in bone marrow-derived macrophages. Consistently, the Src kinase inhibitors PP2 and dasatinib reduced chemokine secretion by neutrophils and bone marrow-derived macrophages. These findings identify Src kinases as a critical regulator of chemokine secretion in myeloid leukocytes during lung inflammation.