Bone marrow chimeric mice reveal a role for CX₃CR1 in maintenance of the monocyte-derived cell population in the olfactory neuroepithelium

J Leukoc Biol. 2010 Oct;88(4):645-54. doi: 10.1189/jlb.0410194. Epub 2010 Jul 7.

Abstract

Macrophages in the olfactory neuroepithelium are thought to play major roles in tissue homeostasis and repair. However, little information is available at present about possible heterogeneity of these monocyte-derived cells, their turnover rates, and the role of chemokine receptors in this process. To start addressing these issues, this study used Cx₃cr1(gfp) mice, in which the gene sequence for eGFP was knocked into the CX₃CR1 gene locus in the mutant allele. Using neuroepithelial whole-mounts from Cx₃cr1(gfp/+) mice, we show that eGFP(+) cells of monocytic origin are distributed in a loose network throughout this tissue and can be subdivided further into two immunophenotypically distinct subsets based on MHC-II glycoprotein expression. BM chimeric mice were created using Cx₃cr1(gfp/+) donors to investigate turnover of macrophages (and other monocyte-derived cells) in the olfactory neuroepithelium. Our data indicate that the monocyte-derived cell population in the olfactory neuroepithelium is actively replenished by circulating monocytes and under the experimental conditions, completely turned over within 6 months. Transplantation of Cx₃cr1(gfp/gfp) (i.e., CX₃CR1-deficient) BM partially impaired the replenishment process and resulted in an overall decline of the total monocyte-derived cell number in the olfactory epithelium. Interestingly, replenishment of the CD68(low)MHC-II(+) subset appeared minimally affected by CX₃CR1 deficiency. Taken together, the established baseline data about heterogeneity of monocyte-derived cells, their replenishment rates, and the role of CX₃CR1 provide a solid basis to further examine the importance of different monocyte subsets for neuroregeneration at this unique frontier with the external environment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens, CD / immunology
  • Antigens, CD / metabolism
  • Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic / immunology
  • Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic / metabolism
  • CX3C Chemokine Receptor 1
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Female
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
  • Gene Knock-In Techniques
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / immunology
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / metabolism
  • Immunophenotyping
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Microscopy, Confocal
  • Monocytes / cytology*
  • Monocytes / immunology*
  • Monocytes / metabolism
  • Olfactory Mucosa / cytology*
  • Olfactory Mucosa / immunology*
  • Olfactory Mucosa / metabolism
  • Receptors, Chemokine / immunology*
  • Receptors, Chemokine / metabolism
  • Transplantation Chimera

Substances

  • Antigens, CD
  • Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic
  • CD68 protein, mouse
  • CX3C Chemokine Receptor 1
  • Cx3cr1 protein, mouse
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class II
  • Receptors, Chemokine