Nitric oxide/cyclic GMP signaling regulates motility of a microglial cell line and primary microglia in vitro

• Exogenous NO application increases cGMP levels in BV-2 microglial line.
• NO/cGMP signaling enhances migration of primary microglia and BV-2 cells.
• NO/cGMP signaling causes changes in microglial cytoskeleton.

Microglia are the resident immune cells of the brain, which become rapidly activated and migrate to the site of insult in brain infection and disease. Activated microglia generate large amounts of the highly reactive messenger molecule nitric oxide (NO). NO is able to raise cyclic GMP levels via binding to soluble guanylyl cyclase. We investigated potential mechanistic links between inflammation, NO signaling, and microglial migration. To monitor cell migration, we used a scratch wound assay and compared results obtained in the BV-2 microglial line to primary microglia. Incubation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) as stimulator of acute inflammatory processes enhanced migration of both microglial cell types. LPS activated NO production in BV-2 cells and application of an NO donor increased BV-2 cell migration while an NO scavenger reduced motility. Pharmacological inhibition of soluble guanylyl cyclase and the resulting decrease in motility can be rescued by a membrane permeant analog of cGMP. Despite differences in the threshold towards stimulation with the chemical agents, both BV-2 cells and primary microglia react in a similar way. The important role of NO/cGMP as positive regulator of microglial migration, the downstream targets of the signaling cascade, and resulting cytoskeletal changes can be conveniently investigated in a microglial cell line.