How immune cells communicate to fight viruses

Bonn researchers develop new techniques to analyse the communication of immune cells in the defence against infection

Chemokines are signalling proteins that orchestrate the interaction of immune cells against pathogens and tumours. To understand this complex network, various techniques have been developed to identify chemokine-producing cells. However, it has not yet been possible to determine which cells react to these chemokines. Researchers at the University Hospital Bonn (UKB) and the University of Bonn have developed a new class of genetically modified mice that enables the simultaneous identification of chemokine producers and sensors. Using the chemokine Ccl3 as a “proof of principle”, they discovered that its function in the immune defence against viruses is different than had been previously assumed. Their results have now been published in the “Journal of Experimental Medicine”.

Our immune response to infections is critically controlled by chemokines. In order to understand how these signalling proteins coordinate immune cells, researchers from Bonn took a closer look at the chemokine Ccl3. Using a novel technology known as Ccl3-EASER mice, they investigated its role in coordinating the immune response to cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, which can lead to severe diseases in immunocompromised individuals. “Until now, it was thought that certain macrophages, cells which colonize all organs as immune guardians, produce Ccl3 to attract antiviral immune cells,” says co-senior author Prof. Dr. Christian Kurts, Director of the Institute of Molecular Medicine and Experimental Immunology (IMMEI) at the UKB. He is also a member of the Transdisciplinary Research Area 3 (TRA 3) “Life & Health” and the Cluster of Excellence ImmunoSensation2 at the University of Bonn. 

“However, we actually found that the natural killer cells – NK cells for short – are the most important Ccl3 producers during CMV infection,” says co-senior author Prof. Dr. Natalio Garbi, research group leader from IMMEI at the UKB. He is also a member of the Cluster of Excellence ImmunoSensation2 at the University of Bonn. NK cells are white blood cells that can directly destroy virus-infected body cells. […]

Participating Core Facilities: The authors acknowledge the support from the Flow Cytometry Core Facility.

Participating institutions and funding:

Institute of Molecular Medicine and Experimental Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital of Bonn University, Bonn, Germany

Institute of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital of Bonn University, Bonn, Germany

Institute for Virology, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany

The study was funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) [SFB TRR 237, SFB 1454, SFB 1292/2] and the Cluster of Excellence ImmunoSensation2 of the University of Bonn.

Publication: M.B. Rodrigo et al: Dual fluorescence reporter mice for Ccl3 transcription, translation and intercellular communication; Journal of Experimental Medicine; DOI: 10.1084/jem.20231814