Macrophages are active participants in many important biological processes, including antimicrobial activity, tumour surveillance, apoptotic cell clearance, homeostasis and wound healing. The activity of all cells is under the direct influence of their genetic makeup and macrophages are no exception. Natural resistance-associated macrophage protein 1 (Nramp1, also known as SLC11A1) is a macrophage-restricted gene that confers resistance to intracellular pathogens in mice. Mitogen activated protein kinase activated protein kinase 2 (MAPKAPK-2 or MK2), a substrate of p38 MAPK, is known to influence the activation of macrophages in response to stressors, including the Toll-like receptor (TLR)-4 ligand LPS. Like NRAMP1, MK2 has also been shown to influence the efficiency of the antibacterial response. The present study evaluates the role of NRAMP1 and MK2 in TLR-mediated cytokine induction and their role in cutaneous wound healing. Mice lacking NRAMP1 are severely impaired in their rate of cutaneous wound healing. Nramp1 gene ablation has been associated with lower levels of SLPI, a protein previously demonstrated to influence the rate of wound healing in a non-redundant fashion. Macrophages derived from Nramp1-null mice are less efficient in activating p38 MAPK signaling, which results in lower levels of MK2 phosphorylation. The reduced level of p38 MAPK and MK2 activation in Nramp1-null macrophages also correlates with decreased cytokine induction in response to TLR7 ligand stimulation of these cells. Using p38 MAPK inhibitor and MK2-deficient macrophages, we demonstrate that TLR7- and TLR9-mediated cytokine induction is directly under the control of this signaling pathway. Furthermore, cytokine induction is regulated by MK2 at the post-transcriptional level. Macrophage-induced cytokines play an important role in cutaneous wound healing. Since MK2-deficient macrophages are severely impaired in their ability to induce cytokines following activation, we next evaluated the role of MK2 in cutaneous wound healing. Our results demonstrate that the rate of wound healing is significantly delayed in the absence of MK2. The level of cytokine expression in the wounds is impaired and macrophages are major players in cutaneous wound healing. Our data also show that intradermal transfer of macrophages with intact MK2 significantly improved wound healing kinetics. Overall, the studies presented in this dissertation demonstrate the importance of NRAMP1 and MK2 in the modulation of macrophage gene expression, and their important role in the control of cutaneous wound healing.

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Transfer of the melanocyte-specific and lysosome-related organelle, the melanosome, from melanocytes to keratinocytes is crucial for the protection of the skin against harmful ultraviolet radiation (UVR)--our main physiological cutaneous stressor. However, this commonplace event remains a most enigmatic process despite several early hypotheses. Recently, we and others have proposed a role for filopodia in melanin transfer, although conclusive experimental proof remained elusive. Using known filopodial markers (MyoX/Cdc42) and the filopodial disrupter, low-dose cytochalasin-B, we demonstrate here a requirement for filopodia in melanosome transfer from melanocytes to keratinocytes and also, unexpectedly, between keratinocytes. Melanin distribution throughout the skin represents the key phenotypic event in skin pigmentation. Melanocyte filopodia were also necessary for UVR-stimulated melanosome transfer, as this was also inhibited by MyoX knockdown and low-dose cytochalasin-B. Knockdown of keratinocyte MyoX protein, in its capacity as a phagocytosis effector, resulted in the inhibition of melanin uptake by keratinocytes. This indicates a central role for phagocytosis by keratinocytes of melanocyte filopodia. In summary, we propose a new model for the regulation of pigmentation in human skin cells under both constitutive and facultative (post-UVR) conditions, which we call the "filopodial-phagocytosis model." This model also provides a unique and highly accessible way to study lysosome-related organelle movement between mammalian cells.

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are a large family of multi-functional secreted signalling molecules. Previously BMP2/4 were shown to inhibit skin pigmentation by downregulating tyrosinase expression and activity in epidermal melanocytes. However, a possible role for other BMP family members and their antagonists in melanogenesis has not yet been explored. In this study we show that BMP4 and BMP6, from two different BMP subclasses, and their antagonists noggin and sclerostin were variably expressed in melanocytes and keratinocytes in human skin. We further examined their involvement in melanogenesis and melanin transfer using fully matched primary cultures of adult human melanocytes and keratinocytes. BMP6 markedly stimulated melanogenesis by upregulating tyrosinase expression and activity, and also stimulated the formation of filopodia and Myosin-X expression in melanocytes, which was associated with increased melanosome transfer from melanocytes to keratinocytes. BMP4, by contrast, inhibited melanin synthesis and transfer to below baseline levels. These findings were confirmed using siRNA knockdown of BMP receptors BMPR1A/1B or of Myosin-X, as well as by incubating cells with the antagonists noggin and sclerostin. While BMP6 was found to use the p38MAPK pathway to regulate melanogenesis in human melanocytes independently of the Smad pathway, p38MAPK, PI3-K and Smad pathways were all involved in BMP6-mediated melanin transfer. This suggests that pigment formation may be regulated independently of pigment transfer. These data reveal a complex involvement of regulation of different members of the BMP family, their antagonists and inhibitory Smads, in melanocytes behaviour.