Signal regulatory protein (SIRPalpha), a cellular ligand for CD47, regulates neutrophil transmigration.

Recent studies have demonstrated that CD47 plays an important role in regulating human neutrophil (PMN) chemotaxis. Two ligands for CD47, thrombospondin and SIRPalpha, have been described. However, it is not known if SIRP-CD47 interactions play a role in regulating PMN migration. In this study, we show that SIRPalpha1 directly binds to the immunoglobulin variable domain loop of purified human CD47 and that such SIRP-CD47 interactions regulate PMN transmigration. Specifically, PMN migration across both human epithelial monolayers and collagen-coated filters was partially inhibited by anti-SIRP monoclonal antibodies. Similar kinetics of inhibition were observed for PMN transmigration in the presence of soluble, recombinant CD47 consisting of the SIRP-binding loop. In contrast, anti-CD47 monoclonal antibodies inhibited PMN transmigration by markedly different kinetics. Results of signal transduction experiments suggested differential regulation of PMN migration by SIRP versus CD47 by phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and tyrosine kinases, respectively. Immunoprecipitation followed by Western blotting after SDS-PAGE under nonreducing conditions suggested that several SIRP protein species may be present in PMN. Stimulation of PMN with fMLP resulted in increased surface expression of these SIRP proteins, consistent with the existence of intracellular pools. Taken together, these results demonstrate that PMN migration is regulated by CD47 through SIRPalpha-dependent and SIRPalpha-independent mechanisms.