Characterization of the biological activities of uridine diphosphate in human dendritic cells: Influence on chemotaxis and CXCL8 release

Uridine nucleotides are endogenous nucleotides which are released into the extracellular space from mechanical stressed endothelial and epithelial cells as well as lipopolysaccharide (lps)-stimulated monocytes. Here, we studied the biological activity of the selective purinoreceptor P2Y6 (P2YR6) agonist Uridine 5'diphosphate (UDP) as well as the P2YR2- and P2YR4-activating uridine 5'triphosphate (UTP) on human dendritic cells (DC). These cells in their immature state have the ability to migrate from blood to peripheral target sites where they sense dangerous signals and capture potential antigens. Moreover, mature DC induce innate immune responses and migrate from peripheral tissues to secondary lymphoid organs in order to activate naive T cells and initiate adaptive immunity. Here, we were able to show that uridine nucleotides stimulated Ca(2+) transients, actin polymerization, and chemotaxis in immature DC. Experiments with pertussis toxin, the stable pyrimidine agonist uridine 5'-O-(2-thiodiphosphate) (UDPgammaS) and receptor antagonists, as well as desensitization studies suggested that these uridine nucleotides activities were mediated by different G(i) protein-coupled receptors. During lps-induced maturation, DC lost their ability to respond towards uridine nucleotides with these activities. Instead, UDP, but not UTP, stimulated the release of the CXC-chemokine 8 (CXCL8) from mature DC in a reactive blue sensitive manner. Moreover, our study indicates that UDP stimulates different signaling pathways in immature and mature DC in order to favor the accumulation of immature DC and to augment the capacity to secrete CXCL8 in mature DC.