Expression of CC Chemokine Ligand 20 and CC Chemokine Receptor 6 mRNA in Patients with Psoriasis Vulgaris

Summary: In order to explore the possible role of CC chemokine ligand 20 (CCL20) and its receptor CC chemokine receptor 6 (CCR6) in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, the expression levels of mRNA of them in psoriatic lesions were investigated. The skin biopsies were collected from skin lesions in 35 cases of psoriasis vulgaris and 18 normal controls. RT-PCR was used to semi-quantitatively analyze the mRNA expression of CCL20 and CCR6 in the psoriatic lesions and the normal skin tissues. The results showed that the mRNA of CCL20 and CCR6 was present in every specimen. The expression levels of CCL20 mRNA in skin lesions were 1.1397±0.0521, which were greatly higher than those in normal controls (0.8681±0.0308) (P<0.001). The expression levels of CCR6 mRNA in skin lesions were 1.1103±0.0538, significantly higher than in the controls (0.9131±0.0433, P<0.001). These findings indicate that up-regulated expression of CCL20 and CCR6 mRNA might be related to the pathogenesis of psoriasis.

Clinical and prognostic significance of CC chemokine receptor type 8 protein expression in gastrointestinal stromal tumors

BACKGROUND Gastrointestinal stromal tumors(GISTs)are the most common mesenchymal neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract.Surgical resection and tyrosine kinase inhibitors are defined as the main treatments but cannot cure patients with advanced GIST,which eventually develops into recurrence and acquired drug resistance.Therefore,it is necessary to identify prognostic biomarkers and new therapeutic targets for GISTs.CC chemokine receptor type 8(CCR8)protein participates in regulation of immune responses.Recent studies on CCR8 in nonsmall cell lung cancer and colorectal cancer showed that it was highly expressed in tumor-infiltrating regulatory T cells and correlated with a poor prognosis.AIM To detect CCR8 expression in GIST tissues and analyze its relationships with clinicopathological features and prognosis in patients with GISTs.METHODS Tissue samples were used for the tissue microarrays construction.The microarrays were then subjected to immunohistochemical analyses to detect CCR8 expression.Next,Kaplan–Meier analysis was utilized to calculate the survival rate of patients with complete follow-up data,and the potential prognostic value of CCR8 was evaluated by Cox regression analysis.Finally,a Gene Ontology/Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes single-gene enrichment chart of CCR8 was constructed using the STRING database.RESULTS CCR8-positive signals were detected as brown or brown-yellow particles by immunohistochemistry located in the cytoplasm.Among 125 tissue samples,74 had CCR8 high expression and 51 had low or negative expression.Statistical analyses suggested CCR8 was significantly correlated with tumor size,mitotic index,AFIP-Miettinen risk classification and tumor location.Kaplan–Meier and multivariate analyses showed that patients with low or negative CCR8 expression,mitotic index<5/high-power fields(HPF)and tumor diameter<5 cm had a better prognosis.Based on the STRING database,CCR8 was significantly enriched in biological processes such as tumor immunity,T lymphocyte chemotaxis,migration and pathways like the nuclear factor-κB and tumor necrosis factor pathways as well as intestinal immune regulation networks.CONCLUSION CCR8 is a prognostic biomarker for malignant potential of GISTs,with high expression correlated with malignancy and poor prognosis.

Association of gene and protein expression and genetic polymorphism of CC chemokine ligand 4 in colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND Leukocytes,such as T cells and macrophages,play an important role in tumorigenesis.CC chemokine ligand(CCL)4,which is produced by lymphocytes and macrophages,has been found to be expressed in the mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract and is a potent chemoattractant for various leukocytes.AIM To examine CCL4 expression and its genetic polymorphism rs10491121 in patients with colorectal cancer(CRC)and evaluate their prognostic significance.METHODS Luminex technology was used to determine CCL4 Levels in CRC tissue(n=98),compared with paired normal tissue,and in plasma from patients with CRC(n=103),compared with healthy controls(n=97).Included patients had undergone surgical resection for primary colorectal adenocarcinomas between 1996 and 2019 at the Department of Surgery,Ryhov County Hospital,Jönköping,Sweden.Reverse transcription quantitative PCR was used to investigate the CCL4 gene expression in CRC tissue(n=101).Paired normal tissue and TaqMan single nucleotide polymorphism assays were used for the CCL4 rs10491121 polymorphism in 610 CRC patients and 409 healthy controls.RESULTS The CCL4 protein and messenger RNA expression levels were higher in CRC tissue than in normal paired tissue(90%,P<0.001 and 45%,P<0.05,respectively).CRC tissue from patients with localized disease had 2.8-fold higher protein expression levels than that from patients with disseminated disease.Low CCL4 protein expression levels in CRC tissue were associated with a 30%lower cancer-specific survival rate in patients(P<0.01).The level of plasma CCL4 was 11%higher in CRC patients than in healthy controls(P<0.05)and was positively correlated(r=0.56,P<0.01)with the CCL4 protein level in CRC tissue.The analysis of CCL4 gene polymorphism rs10491121 showed a difference(P<0.05)between localized disease and disseminated disease in the right colon,with a dominance of allele A in localized disease.Moreover,the rate of the A allele was higher among CRC patients with mucinous cancer than among those with nonmucinous cancer.CONCLUSION The present study indicates that the CRC tissue levels of CCL4 and CCL4 gene polymorphism rs10491121,particularly in the right colon,are associated with clinical outcome in CRC patients.

Apoptosis in human germinal centre B cells by means of CC chemokine receptor 3 expression induced by interleukin-2 and interleukin-4

Background CC chemokine receptor 3 (CCR3), expressed on some inflammatory cells, is a member of the chemokine receptor family. Its ligand is eotaxin/CCL11. In this research, we studied the expression and function of CCR3 induced by interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) on human germinal centre (GC) B cells.Methods Cells isolated from human tonsils were stimulated with IL-2 or/and IL-4 followed by bonding with eotaxin/CCL11. Flow cytometry was used to detect expression of CCR3 on GC B cells and apoptosis of GC B cells. Real time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Northern blot assays were used to analyse the CCR3 mRNA expressed in the GC B cells. Chemotaxis and adhesion assays were used to determine the effect of eotaxin/CCL11 ligand bonded to CCR3 on GC B cells.Results There was no CCR3 expression on human freshly isolated GC B cells. The combination IL-2 and IL-4 could upregulate CCR3 mRNA and protein expression on GC B cells. Eotaxin could not induce GC B cell chemotaxis and adhesion but triggered apoptosis of GC B cells.Conclusion IL-2 and IL-4 together induced expression of CCR3 on GC B cells, and the receptor acted as a death receptor.

linc00941通过miR-203/CCL2轴调控食管鳞状细胞癌细胞增殖、侵袭和糖酵解

目的:探究linc00941作为ceRNA吸附miR-203上调CC-趋化因子配体2(CC chemokine ligand 2,CCL2)的表达在食管鳞癌(esophageal squamous cell carcinoma,ESCC)中的作用机制。方法:选取南阳医学高等专科学校第一附属医院58例ESCC患者的癌组织和癌旁组织,其中,男性患者33例,年龄(49.3±18.6)岁,女性患者25例,年龄(44.6±20.7)岁。qPCR法检测linc00941、miR-203、CCL2在ESCC组织和4株人ESCC细胞系(EC9706、KYSE30、ECA109和TE1)以及人正常食管上皮细胞株HET-1A细胞系中的表达。构建linc00941-wt、linc00941-mut、CCL2-wt、CCL2-mut质粒并分别与miR-203 NC或miR-203模拟物共转染到293T细胞中。双荧光素酶报告基因实验验证linc00941、miR-203、CCL2之间的相互作用。CCK-8和Transwell实验检测细胞的增殖与侵袭能力。乳酸含量检测评价细胞的糖酵解能力。流式细胞术检测细胞的凋亡情况。糖酵解抑制剂2-DG以及linc00941共同干预ESCC细胞,以进一步观察linc00941对ESCC细胞的调控作用。结果:在ESCC组织中和细胞系中linc00941、CCL2表达均上调,miR-203表达下调(均P<0.05)。linc00941与miR-203、miR-203与CCL2的相互作用在ECA109细胞中得到证实。下调linc00941能够抑制ECA109细胞的增殖、侵袭和糖酵解,并诱导细胞凋亡,该作用被miR-203抑制剂部分逆转(均P<0.05)。过表达CCL2可以部分逆转敲减linc00941对ECA109细胞增殖、侵袭、糖酵解和凋亡的影响(均P<0.05)。结论:linc00941能够吸附miR-203进而上调CCL2的表达,促进ESCC细胞的增殖、侵袭和糖酵解,诱导细胞凋亡。linc00941对ESCC细胞增殖、侵袭和凋亡的影响可能是通过调控糖酵解实现的。

CONSTRUCTION OF EUKARYOTIC EXPRESSION VECTOR FOR HUMAN CCL21 AND CHARACTERIZATION OF ITS CHEMOTACTIC ACTIVITY

Objective： To obtain recombinant human CCL21 with biological activity from eukary0tic expression system for further use in cancer gene therapy. Methods： A fragment of human CCL21 gene was obtained from pSK-hCCL21 plasmid digested by Xho I and BamH I, inserted into the responding sites of eukaryotic expression vector pVAX1, and then transfected into COS-7 cells by electroporation method. The expression of hCCL21 protein was detected by western blotting analysis. The in vitro chemotaxis assay was used to test the chemotactic function of the expression product to lymphocytes. Results： Human CCL21 protein was expressed by transfected COS-7 cells with recombinant plasmid containing hCCL21 gene, and was verified by western blotting. The in vitro chemotaxis assay demonstrated that human CCL21 protein had a potent chemotactic function to lymphocytes. Conclusion： Human CCL21 was successfully and transiently expressed in eukaryotic cells, which lays some foundation for the study of CCL21 gene therapy in murine tumor models.

Aconite aqueous extract inhibits the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma through CCL2-dependent enhancement of natural killer cell infiltration

Objective:Aconite is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine that has been found to inhibit the development of liver cancer;however,its exact molecular mechanisms in this process remain unclear.This study explores how aconite aqueous extract(AAE)inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Methods:An in vivo mouse model of subcutaneous liver cancer was established.After AAE treatment,immunohistochemistry(IHC)was used to determine the effect of AAE on natural killer(NK)cells.Subsequently,C57BL/6 mice were used to establish the subcutaneous tumor model,and a group of these mice were treated with anti-PK163 antibody to remove NK cells,which was verified by flow cytometry and IHC.The effect of AAE on the proliferation of HCC cells in vitro was determined using cell counting kit-8.The effect of AAE on chemokine production in HCC cells was measured using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.The effect of AAE on the migration of NK cells was determined using a transwell assay.Finally,the molecular mechanism was investigated using the Western blotting method.Results:We demonstrated that the ability of AAE to induce overexpression of the cytokine C–C motif chemokine ligand 2(CCL2)in HCC cells is fundamental to the infiltration of NK cells into the tumor bed.Mechanistically,we found that the upregulation of CCL2 was achieved by the activation of c-Jun Nterminal kinase but not extracellular regulated protein kinase or p38.Conclusion:Our findings suggest that AAE can be used as an effective immune adjuvant to enhance antitumor immunity by increasing NK cell infiltration into tumors,which could help to improve the efficacy of HCC treatments.

单核细胞趋化因子-1的作用及与炎性病变的关系

单核细胞趋化因子-1（monocytechemoattractantprotein-1，MCP-1）是趋化因子家族CC亚家族中的一个主要成员，它具有诱导单核细胞趋化并且激活单核细胞的双重功能，在人体各器官中均有表达。本文就MCP-1的分子特性、作用机制及与炎性病变的关系等方面的研究进行了综述。