ABSTRACT
Cell migration is central to evoking a potent immune response. Dendritic cell (DC) migration to lymph nodes is dependent on the interaction of C-type lectin-like receptor 2 (CLEC-2; encoded by the gene Clec1b), expressed by DCs, with podoplanin, expressed by lymph node stromal cells, although the underlying molecular mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we show that CLEC-2-dependent DC migration is controlled by tetraspanin CD37, a membrane-organizing protein. We identified a specific interaction between CLEC-2 and CD37, and myeloid cells lacking CD37 (Cd37−/−) expressed reduced surface CLEC-2. CLEC-2-expressing Cd37−/− DCs showed impaired adhesion, migration velocity and displacement on lymph node stromal cells. Moreover, Cd37−/− DCs failed to form actin protrusions in a 3D collagen matrix upon podoplanin-induced CLEC-2 stimulation, phenocopying CLEC-2-deficient DCs. Microcontact printing experiments revealed that CD37 is required for CLEC-2 recruitment in the membrane to its ligand podoplanin. Finally, Cd37−/− DCs failed to inhibit actomyosin contractility in lymph node stromal cells, thus phenocopying CLEC-2-deficient DCs. This study demonstrates that tetraspanin CD37 controls CLEC-2 membrane organization and provides new molecular insights into the mechanisms underlying CLEC-2-dependent DC migration.
This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
Footnotes
Competing interests
The authors declare no competing or financial interests.
Author contributions
Conceptualization: C.M.d.W., S.v.D., M.G.T., S.E.A., A.B.v.S.; Methodology: C.M.d.W., M.G.T., S.E.A., A.B.v.S.; Validation: C.M.d.W., A.L.M.; Formal analysis: C.M.d.W., A.L.M.; Investigation: C.M.d.W., A.L.M., A.v.d.S., N.D.T., E.J., H.M.M., S.E.A.; Resources: J.A.E., B.N., H.M.M., S.E.A.; Writing - original draft: C.M.d.W.; Writing - review & editing: A.L.M., S.v.D., H.M.M., M.G.T., S.E.A., A.B.v.S.; Visualization: C.M.d.W., A.L.M.; Supervision: C.G.F., M.G.T., S.E.A., A.B.v.S.; Funding acquisition: C.M.d.W., A.L.M., H.M.M., C.G.F., M.G.T., S.E.A., A.B.v.S.
Funding
This work was supported by Erasmus+ [Staff Mobility Grant to C.M.d.W.], Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek [019.162LW.004 to C.M.d.W.; Scientific Research Spinoza Award to C.G.F.; 864.11.006 and ICI-024.002.009 to A.B.v.S.], the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council [PhD Studentship to A.L.M.], the Medical Research Council [PhD Studentship to N.D.T.; G0400247 to M.G.T.; MC_U12266B to S.E.A.], Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft [SFB1009 A09 to J.A.E.; SFB/TR 240 to B.N.], Arthritis Research UK [19899 to H.M.M.], the European Research Council [269019 to C.G.F.; 724281 to A.B.v.S.], KWF Kankerbestrijding [KUN2009-4402 to C.G.F.; KUN2014-6845 to A.B.v.S.], the British Heart Foundation [FS/08/062/25797 to M.G.T.] and Cancer Research UK [CRUK-A19763 to S.E.A.].
Supplementary information
Supplementary information available online at http://jcs.biologists.org/lookup/doi/10.1242/jcs.214551.supplemental
- Received January 2, 2018.
- Accepted August 23, 2018.
- © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd
Log in using your username and password
Log in through your institution
Pay Per Article - You may access this article (from the computer you are currently using) for 1 day for US$30.00 .
Regain Access - You can regain access to a recent Pay per Article purchase if your access period has not yet expired.