Myosin II regulates cellular thermo-adaptability and the efficiency of immune responses
Effective immune responses rely on the efficient migration of leukocytes. Yet, how temperature regulates migration dynamics at the single-cell level has remained poorly understood. Using zebrafish embryos and mouse tissue explants, we found that temperature positively regulates leukocyte migration speed, exploration, and arrival frequencies to wounds and lymph vessels. Complementary 2D and 3D cultures revealed that this thermokinetic control of cell migration is conserved across immune cell types, independently of the 3D tissue environment. By applying precise (sub-)cellular temperature modulation, we identified a rapid and reversible thermo-response that depends on myosin II activity. Small physiological increases in temperature (1°C -2°C), as present during fever-like conditions, profoundly increased immune responses by accelerating arrival times at lymphatic vessels and tissue wounds. These findings identify myosin-II-dependent actomyosin contractility as a critical mechanical structure regulating single-cell thermo-adaptability, with physiological implications for tuning the speed of immune responses in vivo.
Authors
- Robert Hauschild (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9843-3522)
- Valeria Venturini (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2526-6473)
- Yufei Xie (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6668-3420)
- Jack Merrin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5145-4609)
- Costanza Agazzi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8265-4969)
- Marcel J. M. Schaaf (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5859-8936)
- Jaime Ortega Arroyo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0657-051X)
- Andres L. Mora Carpio (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2762-6471)
- Mariona Colomer-Rosell (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3523-315X)
- Verena Ruprecht (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4088-8633)
- Fabio Pezzano (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5288-1362)
- Peter Lanzerstorfer (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4512-7964)
- Saumey Jain (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2810-2151)
- Romain Quidant (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8995-8976)
- Eva Kiermaier (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6165-5738)
- Bernard Ciraulo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7191-8594)
- Julian Weghuber (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6312-4666)
- Christian Knapp (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2463-5775)
- Ronja Molkenbur
- J. Jacques
Institutions
- Leiden University (NL)
- University of Bonn (DE)
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria (AT)
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (ES)
- Institute of Photonic Sciences (ES)
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (DE)
- ETH Zurich (CH)
- Universitätsklinikum Erlangen (DE)
- NeoPhotonics (United States) (US)
- University Children's Hospital Zurich (CH)
- Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (ES)
- University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria (AT)
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (ES)
- Life & Brain (Germany) (DE)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Developmental Cell
- Published
- 2025-11-05
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.devcel.2025.10.006
- Primary Topic
- Cellular Mechanics and Interactions
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00