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Berberine is an isoquinoline with anti-inflammatory activity. We previously demonstrated that there was a loop of signal amplification between nuclear factor kappa B and Src for macrophage mobility triggered by the engagement of Toll-like receptors (TLRs). The simultaneous suppression of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-mediated upregulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase 2, and cell mobility in berberine-treated macrophages suggested Src might be a target of berberine. Indeed, th reduced migration, greatly suppressed Src induction in both protein and RNA transcript by berberine were observed in macrophages exposed to LPS, peptidoglycan, polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid, and CpG-oligodeoxynucleotides. In addition to Src induction, berberine also inhibited LPS-mediated Src activation in Src overexpressing macrophages and S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (a nitric oxide donor) could partly restore it. Moreover, berberine suppressed Src activity in fibronectin-stimulated macrophages and in v-Src transformed cells. These results implied that by effectively reducing Src expression and activity, berberine inhibited TLR-mediated cell motility in macrophages.

Macrophage motility is vital in innate immunity. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-mediated macrophage migration requires the enhancement of Src expression and enzymatic activity, which can be regulated by inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). As a major short-chain fatty acid with histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor activity, butyrate exerts anti-inflammatory effect by regulating the expression of cytokines. However, the influence of butyrate on macrophage movement was vague. In this study, we observed that butyrate inhibited migration of both RAW264.7 and rat peritoneal macrophages elicited by LPS. Unlike its myeloid relatives (i.e. Lyn, Fgr and Hck) whose expression was almost unaltered in the presence or absence of butyrate in LPS-treated macrophages, LPS-mediated Src induction was greatly suppressed by butyrate and that could be attributable to reduced level of the src transcript. Similar phenomenon was also detected in LPS-treated macrophages exposed to another HDAC inhibitor, trichostatin A (TSA). Consistent with the indispensability of iNOS in promoting macrophage mobilization via Src up-regulation and the activation of both Src and FAK, we did observe concomitant decrement of iNOS, Src and the suppressed activity of Src and FAK in butyrate- or TSA-pretreated macrophages following LPS exposure. These results imply that by virtue of reduction of Src, butyrate could effectively hamper LPS-triggered macrophage locomotion.

Previously, we have demonstrated the induction of Src in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophages. In this study, we observed that pharmacological blockade or knockout of inducible nitric-oxide synthase (iNOS) reduced LPS-mediated Src induction and macrophage migration. Either SNAP (a NO donor) or 8-Br-cGMP (a cGMP analogue) could rescue these defects in iNOS-null macrophages, which indicated the participation of NO/cGMP in LPS-elicited Src expression and mobilization. In addition, Src family kinase (SFK)-specific inhibitor, PP2, inhibited SNAP- and 8-Br-cGMP-evoked motility implicating the involvement of SFKs downstream of NO/cGMP. Analysis of the expression of SFKs indicated LPS dramatically induced Src, which could be attributable to the increased level of the src transcript. Attenuation of Src by src-specific siRNA reduced LPS- and SNAP-evoked mobilization in Raw264.7 macrophages, and reintroduction of avian Src could rescue their motility. Furthermore, LPS-mediated Src induction led to increased FAK Pi-Tyr-397 and Pi-Tyr-861, which was also iNOS-dependent. With these findings, we concluded that iNOS was important for LPS-mediated macrophage locomotion and Src was a critical player in this process.

Lithium chloride (LiCl) has long been used as a mood stabilizer for bipolar mood depression patients. However, its biological effects on immune cells are unclear yet. In this study, we observed that upon LiCl stimulation, the motility and the content of total protein tyrosine phosphorylation in RAW264.7 macrophages and murine peritoneal macrophages (PEMs) were significantly increased. The inhibition of LiCl-induced macrophage migration by PP2 (an inhibitor for Src family kinases (SFKs)) suggested the involvement of SFKs in this process. Interestingly, LiCl induced NF-kB activation, and while Src was greatly induced, the expression of its myeloid relatives (i.e. Lyn, Fgr, Hck) was almost unaltered in RAW264.7 cells. Knockdown of Src suppressed LiCl-elicited movement and the level of FAK Pi-Tyr861, which could be reversed by siRNA-resistant Src. Consistent with Src and migration increment was iNOS-dependent in macrophages, markedly reduced Src expression, activity and cell migration were observed in iNOS-null PEMs treated with LiCl. Moreover, FAK knockdown suppressed LiCl-stimulated macrophage motility, suggesting the involvement of FAK in this process. Remarkably, similar increment of iNOS, Src, FAK Pi-Tyr861 and migration ability could also be detected in RAW264.7 treated with other GSK3β inhibitors (i.e. SB216763 and Kenpaullone). These results corroborate that through inhibition of GSK3β, the iNOS/Src/FAK axis occupies a critical role in macrophage locomotion in response to LiCl.

Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) induces phosphorylation of Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) at tyrosine 759 and subsequently triggers signaling pathways to promote interferon-β (IFN-β) production. In this study, we found that dsRNA stimulation induces biphasic TLR3 Tyr-759 phosphorylation in macrophages. In addition to the immediate TLR3 Tyr-759 phosphorylation, we identified a second wave of Tyr-759 phosphorylation accompanied by an increase of both Src and ifn-β transcription in the later phase of dsRNA stimulation. Interestingly, Src phosphorylated TLR3 Tyr-759 in vitro and in vivo. However, knockdown of Src abolished the late phase of TLR3 Tyr-759 phosphorylation and decreased the nuclear accumulation of interferon regulatory factors 3 and 7 (IRF3 and -7) and IFN-β production. Reintroduction of Src restored all of these molecular changes. Notably, via down-regulation of Src, dsRNA-elicited TLR3 Tyr-759 phosphorylation, the nuclear accumulation of IRF3/IRF7, and IFN-β generation were inhibited in inducible nitric-oxide synthase (iNOS)-null macrophages. TLR3 knockdown destabilized Src and reduced the nuclear level of IRF3/IRF7 and IFN-β production in macrophages exposed to LPS (a TLR4 ligand known to induce Src and IFN-β expression). Ectopic expression of wild type TLR3, but not its 759-phenylalanine mutant, restored Src activity and ifn-β transcription. Taken together, these results suggested an essential role of the iNOS/Src/TLR3 axis in IFN-β production in macrophages.

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are crucial in macrophage phagocytosis, which is pivotal in host innate immune response. However, the detailed mechanism is not fully defined. Here, we demonstrated that the induction of Src and Eps8 in LPS-treated macrophages was TLR4- and MyD88-dependent, and their attenuation reduced LPS-promoted phagocytosis. Confocal microscopy indicated the colocalization of Eps8 and TLR4 in the cytosol and at the phagosome. Consistently, both Eps8 and TLR4 were present in the same immunocomplex regardless of LPS stimulation. Inhibition of this complex formation by eps8 siRNA or overexpression of pleckstrin homology domain-truncated Eps8 (i.e. 261-p97(Eps8)) decreased LPS-induced TLR4-MyD88 interaction and the following activation of Src, focal adhesion kinase, and p38 MAPK. Importantly, attenuation of Eps8 impaired the bacterium-killing ability of macrophages. Thus, Eps8 is a key regulator of the LPS-stimulated TLR4-MyD88 interaction and contributes to macrophage phagocytosis.

The Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play a pivotal role in innate immunity for the detection of highly conserved, pathogen-expressed molecules. Previously, we demonstrated that lipopolysaccharide (LPS, TLR4 ligand)-increased macrophage motility required the participation of Src and FAK, which was inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)-dependent. To investigate whether this iNOS/Src/FAK pathway is a general mechanism for macrophages to mobilize in response to engagement of TLRs other than TLR4, peptidoglycan (PGN, TLR2 ligand), polyinosinic–polycytidylic acid (polyI:C, TLR3 ligand) and CpG-oligodeoxynucleotides (CpG, TLR9 ligand) were used to treat macrophages in this study. Like LPS stimulation, simultaneous increase of cell motility and Src (but not Fgr, Hck, and Lyn) was detected in RAW264.7, peritoneal macrophages, and bone marrow-derived macrophages exposed to PGN, polyI:C and CpG. Attenuation of Src suppressed PGN-, polyI:C-, and CpG-elicited movement and the level of FAK Pi-Tyr861, which could be reversed by the reintroduction of siRNA-resistant Src. Besides, knockdown of FAK reduced the mobility of macrophages stimulated with anyone of these TLR ligands. Remarkably, PGN-, polyI:C-, and CpG-induced Src expression, FAK Pi-Tyr861, and cell mobility were inhibited in macrophages devoid of iNOS, indicating the importance of iNOS. These findings corroborate that iNOS/Src/FAK axis occupies a central role in macrophage locomotion in response to engagement of TLRs.