Involvement of mTOR in CXCL12 Mediated T Cell Signaling and Migration

Background: CXCL12 is a pleiotropic chemokine involved in multiple different processes such as immune regulation, inflammatory responses, and cancer development. CXCL12 is also a potent chemokine involved in chemoattraction of T cells to the site of infection or inflammation. Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a serine-threonine kinase that modulates different cellular processes, such as metabolism, nutrient sensing, protein translation, and cell growth. The role of mTOR in CXCL12-mediated resting T cell migration has yet to be elucidated. Methodology/Principal Findings: Rapamycin, an inhibitor of mTOR, significantly inhibits CXCL12 mediated migration of both primary human resting T cells and human T cell leukemia cell line CEM. p70S6K1, an effector molecule of mTOR signaling pathway, was knocked down by shRNA in CEM cells using a lentiviral gene transfer system. Using p70S6K1 knock down cells, we demonstrate the role of mTOR signaling in T cell migration both in vitro and in vivo. Conclusions: Our data demonstrate a new role for mTOR in CXCL12-induced T cell migration, and enrich the curren