Aberrant expression of CD11b and CD11a underlies impaired neutrophil adhesion in glucose-6-phosphate transporter-deficient mice

Neutrophils play an essential role in defense against intruding microorganisms. They are produced in great number in the bone marrow and circulate in blood where they are found in a quiescent state. In response to inflammatory stimuli, neutrophils take different steps-rolling, adhesion, and transmigration-to migrate towards inflammation sites. In this study, we investigated the underlying mechanisms of impaired neutrophil adhesion in glycogen storage disease type Ib (GSD-Ib) which is caused by a deficiency of the glucose-6-phosphate transporter (G6PT). GSD-Ib is characterized not only by disrupted glucose homeostasis but also by neutropenia and neutrophil dysfunction. GSD-Ib mice were infused with a recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vector expressing human G6PT only in liver to increase their survival. Unlike control mice, GSD-Ib-rAAV mice manifested severe neutropenia in both blood and bone marrow and neutrophils of GSD-Ib-rAAV mice were defective in adhesion to tumor necrosis factor-a-treated epithelial cells and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 and fibrinogen. The β2-integrins including CD11a/CD18 and CD11b/CD18 are recognized as vital players in neutrophil recruitment. Consistent with impaired neutrophil adhesion, the expression of CD11a and CD11b were found to be decreased in neutrophils of GSD-Ib-rAAV mice, compared with that of control mice. Particularly neutrophils of GSD-Ib-rAAV mice showed increased proteolytic degradation of CD11b. Given the central role of β2-integrins in neutrophil adhesion, this alternation of CD11a and CD11b molecules and their effect on neutrophil adhesion probably define a molecular mechanism to neutrophil dysfunction manifested in GSD-Ib.