Expression and translocation of fluorescent-tagged p21-activated kinase-binding domain and PH domain of protein kinase B during murine neutrophil chemotaxis

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Abstract
Neutrophils are key cells of the innate immune system; they are terminally differentiated and therefore difficult to genetically manipulate and study in vitro. In the present study, we describe a protocol to transiently express two fluorescent markers, the PH domain of protein kinase B fused to red fluorescent protein and the p21-activated kinase-binding domain fused to a yellow fluorescent protein, in primary neutrophils. Using this approach, we are able to achieve a transfection efficiency of ∼30%. The expression of the transfected probes occurred within 2 h and allowed for real-time monitoring of intermediates in key neutrophil activation pathways at the leading edge of migrating cells. We describe here a transfection protocol for primary neutrophils, which preserves fMLP-mediated cell polarization and cytoskeleton reorganization with simultaneous accumulation of PI-3K products and active Rac at the leading edge. The visualization and analysis of transfected fluorescent markers in primary neutrophils are a powerful technique to monitor chemotaxis signaling pathways in real time.
Funding Information
  • Canadian Institutes of Health Research (MOP-53136, MOP-5619)