TLR3 ligand-induced accumulation of activated splenic natural killer cells into liver

It has been revealed that poly I：C is a potent stimulator for NK cells, which can induce NK cell rapid activation and preferential accumulation into liver. However, the process mediating the influx of NK cells remains obscure. In this study, we found that poly I：C administration increased the portion and absolute number of NK cells in liver, but largely decreased those in spleen. There were no obvious changes of these lymphocytes in other immune organs. The results from splenic adoptive transfer and splenectomy showed that the recruited spleen NK cells contributed to the accumulation of NK cells in liver, and this process was regulated by the production of chemokines and the presence of T cells. This investigation will help to understand the enhanced immune cell recruitment in liver upon viral infection. Cellular ＆ Molecular Immunology. 2005;2（6）：449-453.     

Roles of Chemokine Receptor 4 （CXCR4） and Chemokine Ligand 12 （CXCL12） in Metastasis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells

Chemokines are involved in human hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） carcinogenesis. However, the exact mechanism of chemokines in HCC carcinogenesis remains unknown. Here we investigated the roles of chemokine receptor 4 （CXCR4） and chemokine ligand 12 （CXCL12） in the metastasis of HCC. We found that the expression levels of CXCR4 mRNA in HCC tissues, MHCC97 cells, and HUVEC cells were 2.52 ±1.13, 2.34 ±1.16 and 1.63 ±1.26, respectively and that the CXCR4 protein levels were 1.38 ± 0.13, 1.96± 0.32 and 1.86 ±0.21, respectively. In contrast, CXCR4 was not detected in normal hepatic tissues. In 78 HCC patients, we also found that the concentration of CXCL12 in cancerous ascitic fluid was 783-8,364 pg/ml and that CXCL12 mRNA level in HCC metastasis portal lymph nodes was 1.21 ± 0.87 but undetectable in normal hepatic tissues. Finally we discovered that recombinant human CXCL12 could induce MHCC97 cells and HUVEC cells to migrate with chemotactic indexes （CI） of 3.9 ±1.1 and 4.1± 1.6, respectively. Cancerous ascitic fluid could also induce the migration of MHCC97 cells with a CI of 1.9 ± 0.8. Thus, our data suggest that CXCR4 and CXCL12 may play an important role in the metastasis of HCC by promoting the migration of tumor cells.     

禽流感H5N1亚型病毒感染BALB/c小鼠的免疫应答

目的 研究禽流感H5N1病毒感染BALB/c小鼠后对宿主细胞免疫功能和细胞因子水平变化的影响,探讨禽流感H5N1病毒感染哺乳动物的免疫发病机制.方法 选用鹅源禽流感H5N1病毒感染BALB/c小鼠,采用流式细胞仪检测血液和脾脏T淋巴细胞及其亚群的变化,采用ELISA检测血液中细胞岗子(IFN-γ、TNF-α、IL-4、IL-18、IL-10、IL-2)及禽流感H5N1病毒特异性抗体的变化.结果 禽流感H5N1病毒感染可引起对宿主短暂的、可恢复的细胞免疫功能损伤:血液CD3+、CD4+、CD8+ T淋巴细胞数量于染毒后第2～4天下降(第4天为最低值),脾脏T淋巴细胞数最于染毒后第5～8天下降(第6天为最低值),然后均逐渐恢复到正常水平.染毒后血液细胞因子变化表现为:血清IFN-γ、TNF-α水平下降,IL-4、IL-18、IL-10水平上升,IL-2水平无明显变化.从感染第7天开始检测H5N1禽流感特异性抗体为阳性,抗体水平逐渐升高至实验结束的感染第14天.结论 H5N1禽流感病毒感染可引起宿主T细胞免疫功能低下是其主要的免疫病理改变之一,细胞因子表达失平衡或过多的表达都可能对宿主产生免疫病理损伤.

Abstract：

Objective To study the cell immunity and eytokines responses to avian influenza A H5N1 virus infections in a BALB/c model to better understand the pathogenesis of H5N1 avian influenza disease. Methods Two hundred and twenty BALB/c mice of the infected group were inoculated with 0.1 ml (10-4.875 TCID50) of A/Goose/Guangdong/NH/2003 ( H5N1 ) virus intra-nasally. Fifty control mice received noninfectious allantoic fluid and another fifty control mice received normal sodium. Blood and spleen samples were collected from the live mice every 24 h during the 14 d post-infection. The changes of CD3 + T cells , CD4 + T cells, CD8 + T cells for cell immunity in blood circulation and spleen were detected by flow cytometry. And the cytokines and antibody responses in blood circulation were detected by ELISA. Necropsy was performed on mice that died during the experiment and those euthanized at end of study. Results Avian influenza A( H5N1) virus infections can make damages to the cell immune system transiently. The CD3 + T cells, CD4 + T cells, CDS + T cells declined at 24 days post infection in blood circulation and declined at 5-8 days in spleen, then recovered to the normal level gradually. The eytokines responses to the infections can be detected: the level of IFN-γ,TNF-α declined, IL-4, IL-18, IL-10 increased, and IL-2 changed little. The antibody increased rapidly from day 7 post infection until the end of the study (day 14 post infection). Conclusion Collectively, avian influenza A(H5N1) virus can cause cell immunity deficiency and an imbalance in the level of eytokines, which may contribute to the unusual severity of disease caused by the H5N1 avian influenza virus.     

The expression of CD2 in chronic HBV infection

It was previously reported that several kinds of intercellular adhesion molecules are closely related to chronic HBV infection. The complex of CD2 and CD58 plays an important role in enhancing the adhesion of T lymphocytes to target cells, and promoting hyperplasia and activation of T lymphocytes. In this study, we detected the level of CD2 expressed on the surface of PBMC, the expression level of CD2 mRNA in PBMC and the percentage of CD2 positive cells in PBMC of patients with chronic HBV infection and compared them with the expression level of normal controls. We also determined the level of serum HBV DNA from patients with chronic HBV infection and from normal controls. The clinical characteristics of hepatic function were tested as well. The results showed that the expression of CD2 significantly increased with the severity of chronic HBV infection, which suggested that CD2 might contribute to the hepatocyte damage in chronic HBV infection. Cellular ＆ Molecular Immunology.     

Tyk2信号传导在表达OVA的重组卡介菌(rBCG-OVA)所致慢性胞内细菌感染小鼠模型的CD8+Tc1反应中的作用

目的 探讨酪氨酸激酶2(tyrosine kinase 2,Tyk2)在IL-12和IFN-γ激发的信号传导中所起的作用.方法 为阐明Tyk2在CD8+Tc1反应中的作用,我们跟踪了Tyk2基因敲除(Tyk2-/-)小鼠和Tyk2野生型(Tyk2+/+)小鼠感染表达卵清蛋白的重组卡介菌(rBCG-OVA)后功能性CD8+T细胞的增殖分化过程.结果 与Tyk2+/+小鼠相比,在rBCG-OVA感染后,Tyk2-/-小鼠的OVA257-264抗原特异的CD8+T细胞能够随着感染的发生和发展开始增生和收缩,但是CD8+T细胞总数明显减少,OVA257-264/Kb-四聚物阳性的CD8+T细胞和IFN-γ产生阳性的CD8+Tc1细胞数量明显不足,动力曲线与增加的体内细菌的增长相对应.结论 Tyk2的信号缺失使rBCG-OVA致慢性细胞内病原菌感染导致的功能型CD8+Tc1反应减弱.

Abstract：

Objective To elucidate potential roles of tyrosine kinase 2 (Tyk2) in the generation and maintenance of Ag-specific CD8+ T cells. Methods We followed the fate of OVA-specific CD8 + T cells in Tyk2-deficient ( Tyk2 -/- ) mice after infection with recombinant OVA-expressing BCG ( rBCGOVA ). Because the immunostimulatory BCG-derived peptides recognized by CD8 + T cells have not been defined, and the OVA is definite peptide for specific CD8 + T cells that has been accepted widely, therefore we examine the kinetics of the OVA-Ag-specific CD8 + T cell response after rBCG-OVA infection in mice.Tyk2-/- and wild type(Tyk2+/+ ) mice were inoculated with rBCG-OVA by intra-trachea( i. t. ), after the examination of bacterial growth in the lung and spleen, the population of CD8 + T cells were detected by FACS analysis, the epitope-specific CD8 + T cells were followed with tetrameric H-2Kb molecule folding with OVA257 264 peptide, and the kinetics of Ag-specific CD8 + Tc1 cells were detected by intracellular IFN-γ production in response to OVA257-264 peptide by cytokine FACS analysis. Results After rBCG-OVA challenge,the bacteria number in spleen and lung of Tyk2 -/- mice were significantly larger than those in Tyk2 +/+ mice on days 14, 21 and 49. Almost as same as that in Tyk2+/+ mice, the size of epitope-specific CD8+ T cella with OVA257-264/Kb-tetramer-positive and the CD8 +Tc1 (T eytotoxic 1 )cells positive for intracellular IFN-γ could proliferate to its peak on day 21, then contract and maintain to the memory phase in spleen and lung of Tyk2-/- mice, but the population of CD8+ T cells in spleen and lung of Tyk2 -/- mice were significantly smaller than those in Tyk2+/+ mice on days 21 and 49, the number of epitope-specific CD8+ T cells in spleen and lung of Tyk2 -/- mice were significantly decreased and the frequency of CD8 + Tc1 cells in spleen and lung of Tyk2 -/- mice significantly reduced on day 21,49 and 70 after rBCG-OVA infection. So correspond with the larger number of bacteria in Tyk2-/- mice than those in Tyk2 +/+ mice, the expansion of OVA257-264-specific CD8 + T cells and CD8+ Tc1 response were attenuated in Tyk2 -/- mice following rBCG-OVA infection. Conclusion These results suggest that the lack of Tyk2 signaling impairs the proliferation and difference of effector CD8 + T cell to rBCG-OVA infection and at least, is partly responsible for the susceptible to the rBCG-OVA infection.     

PEG10 Activation by Co-Stimulation of CXCR5 and CCR7 Essentially Contributes to Resistance to Apoptosis in CD19^＋CD34^＋ B Cells from Patients with B Cell Lineage Acute and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

We investigated CD19~+CD34~+ and CD19~+CD34 B cells from cord blood (CB) and typical patients with B celllineage acute and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-ALL and B-CLL) in terms of expression and functions ofCXCR5/CXCL13 and CCR7/CCL19.CXCR5 and CCR7 were selectively frequent expressed on B-ALL,B-CLLand CB CD19~+CD34~+ B cells,but not on CD19~+CD34 B cells.Instead of induction of impressive chemotacticresponsiveness,CXCL13 and CCL19 together induced significant resistance to TNF-α-mediated apoptosis inB-ALL and B-CLL but not CB CD19~+CD34~+ B cells.B-ALL and B-CLL CD19~+CD34~+ B cells expressed elevatedlevel of Paternally Expressed Gene 10 (PEG10),and CXCL13 and CCL19 together significantly up-regulatedPEG10 expression in the cells.We found that CXCL13 and CCL19 together by means of activation of CXCR5and CCR7 up-regulated PEG10 expression and function,subsequent stabilized caspase-3 and caspase-8 inB-ALL and B-CLL CD19~+CD34~+ B cells,and rescued the cells from TNF-α-mediated apoptosis.We suggestedthat normal lymphocytes,especially naive B and T cells,utilized CXCR5/CXCL13 and CCR7/CCL19 formigration,homing,maturation,and cell homeostasis as well as secondary lymphoid tissues organogenesis.Meanwhile certain malignant cells took advantages of CXCR5/CXCL13 and CCR7/CCL19 for infiltration,resistance to apoptosis,and inappropriate proliferation.Cellular & Molecular Immunology.2004;1(4):280-294.     

Blockade of Tim-3 Pathway Ameliorates Interferon-γ Production from Hepatic CD8^＋ T Cells in a Mouse Model of Hepatitis B Virus Infection

T cell immunoglobulin- and mucin-domain-containing molecule-3 （Tim-3） has been reported to participate in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases. However, whether Tim-3 is involved in hepatitis B virus （HBV） infection remains unknown. Here, we studied the expression and function of Tim-3 in a hydrodynamics-based mouse model of HBV infection. A significant increase of Tim-3 expression on hepatic T lymphocytes, especially on CD8^＋ T cells, was demonstrated in HBV model mice from day 7 to day 18. After Tim-3 knockdown by specific shRNAs, significantly increased IFN-γ production from hepatic CD8^＋ T cells in HBV model mice was observed. Very interestingly, we found Tim-3 expression on CD8^＋ T cells was higher in HBV model mice with higher serum anti-HBs production. Moreover, Tim-3 knockdown influenced anti-HBs production in vivo. Collectively, our data suggested that Tim-3 might act as a potent regulator of antiviral T-cell responses in HBV infection. Cellular ＆ Molecular Immunology.     

Immunotherapeutical Potential of Mycobacterium Vaccae on M. Tuberculosis Infection in Mice

Tuberculosis remains the worldwide infectious disease. To identify the therapeutic potential of M. vaccae in treating tuberculosis, M. vaccae was injected into Mycobacterium tuberculosis （M. tuberculosis） infected mice. The optimal dose of M. vaccae （22.5 μg/mouse） treated mice showed lower pathological change index, spleen weight index, lung weight index and vital M. tuberculosis count than those of the untreated group. Treatment with M. vaccae enhanced the percentages of CD3^＋ and CD4^＋ T cells, IFN-γ^＋CD4^＋ T cells, innate immune cells including NK cells, NK1.1^＋ T cells and γδ T cells, and reduced the percentage of IL-4^＋CD4^＋ T cells. Therefore, M. vaccae could protect the mice from M. tuberculosis infection and improved mouse innate and adaptive cell-mediated immunity, suggesting that M. vaccae is a potential immunotherapeutic agent in pulmonary tuberculosis. Cellular ＆ Molecular Immunology.     

Interferon-γ Expression in Natural Killer Cells and Natural Killer T Cells Is Suppressed in Early Pregnancy

Recent study has suggested that innate immune system might play an important role in pregnancy progression. In this study, to investigate whether NK cells and NKT cells, instead of T cells, are the dominant populations of peripheral blood in early pregnancy, flow cytometry was used to detect the percentage and intracellular cytokine expressions of T cells, NK cells, NKT cdls in peripheral blood of non-pregnant women and early pregnant women. In our result, the percentages of NK calls and NKT calls were significantly increased in pregnancy compared to non-pregnancy. However, the percentage of T cells was not changed. We did not detect the Th2-dominance of total lymphocytes or T cells in peripheral blood of early pregnant women and there were also no significant changes of type 1 and type 2 cytokines in T cells, but IFN-γ production in both NK and NKT cells was decreased in early pregnancy. These results suggest that the innate immune system including NK cells and NKT cells should play a pivotal role in pregnancy progression. Type 1/type 2 shift mechanisms in innate immune system during the human early pregnancy should be paid more attention.     

The relative activity of CXCR3 and CCR5 ligands in T lymphocyte migration: concordant and disparate activities in vitro and in vivo

In chronic inflammatory reactions such as rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis, T cells in the inflamed tissue express the chemokine receptors CXCR3 and CCR5, and the chemokine ligands (CCL) of these receptors are present in the inflammatory lesions. However, the contribution of these chemokines to T cell recruitment to sites of inflammation is unclear. In addition, the relative roles of the chemokines that bind CXCR3 (CXCL9, CXCL10, CXCL11) and CCR5 (CCL3, CCL4, CCL5) in this process are unknown. The in vitro chemotaxis and in vivo migration of antigen-activated T lymphoblasts and unactivated spleen T cells to chemokines were examined. T lymphoblasts migrated in vitro to CXCR3 ligands with a relative potency of CXCL10 > CXCL11 > CXCL9, but these cells demonstrated much less chemotaxis to the CCR5 ligands. In vivo, T lymphocytes were recruited in large numbers with rapid kinetics to skin sites injected with CXCL10 and CCL5 and less to CCL3, CCL4, CXCL9, and CXCL11. The combination of CCL5 with CXCL10 but not the other chemokines markedly increased recruitment. Coinjection of interferon-gamma, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and interleukin-1alpha to up-regulate endothelial cell adhesion molecule expression with CXCL10 or CCL5 induced an additive increase in lymphoblast migration. Thus, CXCR3 ligands are more chemotactic than CCR5 ligands in vitro; however, in vivo, CXCL10 and CCL5 have comparable T cell-recruiting activities to cutaneous sites and are more potent than the other CXCR3 and CCR5 chemokines. Therefore, in vitro chemotaxis induced by these chemokines is not necessarily predictive of their in vivo lymphocyte-recruiting activity.     

Antagonism of the chemokine receptors CXCR3 and CXCR4 reduces the pathology of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

Abstract Chemokines regulate lymphocyte trafficking under physiologic and pathologic conditions. In this study, we have investigated the role of CXCR3 and CXCR4 in the activation of T lymphocytes and their migration to the central nervous system (CNS) using novel mutant chemokines to antagonize CXCR3 and CXCR4 specifically. A series of truncation mutants of CXCL11, which has the highest affinity for CXCR3, were synthesized, and an antagonist, CXCL11((4-79)), was obtained. CXCL11((4-79)) strongly inhibited the migration of activated mouse T cells in response to all three high-affinity CXCR3 ligands, CXCL9, 10 and 11. CXCL12((P2G2)), while exhibiting minimal agonistic activity, potently inhibited the migration of activated mouse T cells in response to CXCL12. Interfering with the action of CXCR3 and CXCR4 with these synthetic receptor antagonists inhibited experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a mouse model of multiple sclerosis and reduced the accumulation of CD4(+) T cells in the CNS. Further investigation demonstrated that CXCL12((P2G2)) inhibited the sensitization phase, whereas CXCL11((4-79)) inhibited the effector phase of the immune response. Our data suggest that simultaneous targeting of CXCR4 and CXCR3 may be of benefit in the treatment of the CNS autoimmune disease.     

NK细胞影响T细胞向腺病毒感染的小鼠肝脏聚集的研究

目的 使用腺病毒感染的小鼠模型研究NK细胞向肝脏聚集过程中的作用机制。方法 应用抗NK1.1^ 单克隆抗体来剔除小鼠体内的NK细胞，使用FACS分析腺病毒感染的小鼠模型中肝脏的浸润淋巴细胞，应用RT－PCR检测小鼠肝组织、肝浸润淋巴细胞和脾组织中的趋化因子及其受体的基因表达，同时测定血清ALT来做人估价肝损伤。结果 抗NK1.1^ 单克隆抗体明显干扰了腺病毒感染小鼠模型中的T细胞向肝脏的聚集，抑制了趋化因子IP－10mRNA的表达。同时，与未给予抗NK1.1^ 单克隆抗体的小鼠腺病毒感染模型相比较，其肝脏受损也明显减轻。IP－10的特异性受体CXCR3 mRNA的表达先后分别出现在腺病毒感染后的脾脏和肝脏浸润淋巴细胞中。结论 NK细胞在T细胞向腺病毒感染的肝脏聚集过程中起着关键的作用，这种作用可能与依赖NK细胞的趋化因子IP－10密切相关。     

Expression of rat I-TAC/CXCL11/SCYA11 during central nervous system inflammation: comparison with other CXCR3 ligands

The chemokines are a large gene superfamily with critical roles in development and immunity. The chemokine receptor CXCR3 appears to play a major role in the trafficking of activated Th1 lymphocytes. There are at least three major ligands for CXCR3: mig/CXCL9, IP-10/CXCL10 and I-TAC/CXCL11, and of these three ligands, CXCL11 is the least well-characterized. In this study, we have cloned a rat ortholog of CXCL11, evaluated its function, and examined its expression in the Th-1-mediated disease, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in the rat. Based on its predicted primary amino-acid sequence, rat I-TAC/CXCL11 was synthesized and shown to induce chemotaxis of activated rat T lymphocytes in vitro and the in vivo migration of T lymphocytes when injected into the skin. I-TAC/CXCL11 expression, as determined by RT-PCR, increased in lymph node and spinal cord tissue collected from rats in which EAE had been actively induced, and in spinal cord tissue from rats in which EAE had been passively induced. The kinetics of expression were similar to that of CXCR3 and IP-10/CXCL10, although expression of both CXCR3 and IP-10/CXCL10 was more intense than that of I-TAC/CXCL11 and increased more rapidly in both lymph nodes and the spinal cord. Only minor levels of expression of the related chemokine mig/CXCL9 were observed. Immunohistochemistry revealed that the major cellular source of I-TAC/CXCL11 in the central nervous system (CNS) during EAE is likely to be the astrocyte. Together, these data indicate that I-TAC/CXCL11 is expressed in the CNS during the clinical phase of EAE. However, the observation that I-TAC/CXCL11 is expressed after receptor expression is detected suggests that it is not essential for the initial migration of CXCR3-bearing cells into the CNS.     

An increase in herpes simplex virus type 1 in the anterior segment of the eye is linked to a deficiency in NK cell infiltration in mice deficient in CXCR3.

In response to ocular herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection in mice, a rapid induction or increase in the local expression of chemokines, including CXCL10, is found. The present study investigated the role of the receptor for CXCL10, CXCR3, in the host response to corneal HSV-1 infection. Mice deficient in CXCR3 (CXCR3(-/-)) were found to have an increase in infectious virus in the anterior segment of the eye by day 7 postinfection. Coinciding with the increase, selective chemokines, including CCL2, CCL3, CCL5, CXCL9, and CXCL10, were elevated in the anterior segment of the HSV-1-infected CXCR3(-/-) mice. In contrast, there was a time-dependent reduction in the recruitment of natural killer (NK) cells (NK1.1(+)CD3(-)) into the anterior segment of CXCR3(-/-) mice. A reduction in NK cells residing in the anterior segment of mice following antiasialoGM1 antibody treatment resulted in an increase in infectious virus. No other leukocyte populations infiltrating the tissue were modified in the absence of CXCR3. Collectively, the loss of CXCR3 expression specifically reduces NK cell mobilization into the cornea in response to HSV-1.     

CXCR6-CXCL16 interaction in the pathogenesis of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis

In order to evaluate the role of CXCR6/CXCL16 in driving lymphocyte migration into inflamed joints of children with oligoarticular Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) we analysed CXCR6 expression and functional capability in lymphocytes from synovial fluid (SF) by flow cytometry, by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and migration assays. Furthermore, CXCR6 and CXCL16 expression in synovial tissue (ST) was analysed by immunohistochemistry. T cells isolated from SF of patients with JIA expressed CXCR6 which was functionally active as shown by chemotactic assays. The same cells expressed CXCR3 and it exerted a migratory activity in response to CXCL10. CXCL16 and CXCR6 were intensively expressed on the synovium cells, respectively on macrophages, synoviocytes and endothelial cells and on lymphocytes, synoviocytes and endothelial cells. Taken together, these data suggest that CXCR6 and CXCR3 act coordinately with respective ligands and are involved in the pathophysiology of JIA-associated inflammatory processes.     

CXCL9 and 11 in patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis: a role of alveolar macrophages

Interferon-inducible protein-10 (IP-10)/CXCL10, which is a ligand for CXC chemokine receptor 3 (CXCR3), is known to be involved in the pathogenesis of pulmonary sarcoidosis. However, the roles of monokine induced by interferon gamma (Mig)/CXCL9 and interferon-inducible T cell alpha chemoattractant (I-TAC)/CXCL11, which are also CXCR3 ligands, remain unclear. Mig/CXCL9, IP-10/CXCL10 and I-TAC/CXCL11 in both bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and serum in patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expression of these chemokines in alveolar macrophages was examined using ELISA, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunostaining. In BALF, Mig/CXCL9 and IP-10/CXCL10 were significantly elevated in stage II sarcoidosis as compared with the levels in healthy volunteers. In serum, Mig/CXCL9 and I-TAC/CXCL11 were increased in stage II of the disease. The levels of all CXCR3 ligands in BALF were correlated with the numbers of both total and CD4(+) lymphocytes. Alveolar macrophages were stained positive for all CXCR3 ligands and produced increased amounts of these chemokines. Positive staining of the three chemokines was also observed in the epithelioid and giant cells in the sarcoid lungs. These findings suggest that Mig/CXCL9 and I-TAC/CXCL11 as well as IP-10/CXCL10 play important roles in the accumulation of Th1 lymphocytes in sarcoid lungs.     

Expression and agonist responsiveness of CXCR3 variants in human T lymphocytes

The chemokine receptor CXCR3 and its ligands CXCL9, CXCL10 and CXCL11 are involved in variety of inflammatory disorders including multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and sarcoidosis. Two alternatively spliced variants of the human CXCR3-A receptor have been described, termed CXCR3-B and CXCR3-alt. Human CXCR3-B binds CXCL9, CXCL10, CXCL11 as well as an additional ligand CXCL4. In contrast, CXCR3-alt only binds CXCL11. We report that CXCL4 induces intracellular calcium mobilization as well as Akt and p44/p42 extracellular signal-regulated kinase phosphorylation, in activated human T lymphocytes. These responses have similar concentration dependence and time-courses to those induced by established CXCR3 agonists. Moreover, phosphorylation of Akt and p44/p42 is inhibited by pertussis toxin, suggesting coupling to Gα(i) protein. Surprisingly, and in contrast with the other CXCR3 agonists, stimulation of T lymphocytes with CXCL4 failed to elicit migratory responses and did not lead to loss of surface CXCR3 expression. Taken together, our findings show that, although CXCL4 is coupled to downstream biochemical machinery, its role in T cells is probably distinct from that of CXCR3-A agonists.     

Cxcr3 and its ligand CXCL10 are expressed by inflammatory cells infiltrating lung allografts and mediate chemotaxis of T cells at sites of rejection

The attraction of T lymphocytes into the pulmonary parenchyma represents an essential step in mechanisms ultimately leading to lung allograft rejection. In this study we evaluated whether IP-10 (CXCL10), a chemokine that is induced by interferon-gamma and stimulates the directional migration of activated T cells, plays a role in regulating the trafficking of effector T cells during lung allograft rejection episodes. Immunohistochemical examination showed that areas characterized by acute cellular rejection (grades 1 to 4) and active obliterative bronchiolitis (chronic rejection, Ca) were infiltrated by T cells expressing CXCR3, i.e., the specific receptor for CXCL10. In parallel, T cells accumulating in the bronchoalveolar lavage of lung transplant recipients with rejection episodes were CXCR3+ and exhibited a strong in vitro migratory capability in response to CXCL10. In lung biopsies, CXCL10 was abundantly expressed by graft-infiltrating macrophages and occasionally by epithelial cells. Alveolar macrophages expressed and secreted definite levels of CXCL10 capable of inducing chemotaxis of the CXCR3+ T-cell line 300-19; the secretory capability of alveolar macrophages was up-regulated by preincubation with interferon-gamma. Interestingly, striking levels of CXCR3 ligands could be demonstrated in the fluid component of the bronchoalveolar lavage in individuals with rejection episodes. These data indicate the role of the CXCR3/CXCL10 interactions in the recruitment of lymphocytes at sites of lung rejection and provide a rationale for the use of agents that block the CXCR3/CXCL10 axis in the treatment of lung allograft rejection.     

CXCL10 promotes liver fibrosis by prevention of NK cell mediated hepatic stellate cell inactivation

Chemokines, such as CXCL10, promote hepatic inflammation in chronic or acute liver injury through recruitment of leukocytes to the liver parenchyma. The CXCL10 receptor CXCR3, which is expressed on a subset of leukocytes, plays an important part in Th1-dependent inflammatory responses. Here, we investigated the role of CXCL10 in chemically induced liver fibrosis. We used carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)) to trigger chronic liver damage in wildtype C57BL/6 and CXCL10-deficient mice. Fibrosis severity was assessed by Sirius Red staining and intrahepatic leukocyte subsets were investigated by immunohistochemistry. We have further analyzed hepatic stellate cell (HSC) distribution and activation and investigated the effect of CXCL10 on HSC motility and proliferation. In order to demonstrate a possible therapeutic intervention strategy, we have examined the anti-fibrotic potential of a neutralizing anti-CXCL10 antibody. Upon CCl(4) administration, CXCL10-deficient mice showed massively reduced liver fibrosis, when compared to wildtype mice. CXCL10-deficient mice had less B- and T lymphocyte and dendritic cell infiltrations within the liver and the number and activity of HSCs was reduced. In contrast, natural killer (NK) cells were more abundant in CXCL10-deficient mice and granzyme B expression was increased in areas with high numbers of NK cells. Further detailed analysis revealed that HSCs express CXCR3, respond to CXCL10 and secrete CXCL10 when stimulated with IFNγ. Blockade of CXCL10 with a neutralizing antibody exhibited a significant anti-fibrotic effect. Our data suggest that CXCL10 is a pro-fibrotic factor, which participates in a crosstalk between hepatocytes, HSCs and immune cells. NK cells seem to play an important role in controlling HSC activity and fibrosis. CXCL10 blockade may constitute a possible therapeutic intervention for hepatic fibrosis.