Regulation of human neutrophil chemokine receptor expression and function by activation of Toll-like receptors 2 and 4

Neutrophil chemokine receptor expression can be altered by exposure to Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists, a process that is thought to have the potential to localize neutrophils to sites of infection. In order to investigate this process in more detail, we examined the regulation of highly pure neutrophil CXCR1 and CXCR2 expression and function by selective agonists of TLR2 (Pam(3)CSK(4)) and TLR4 (lipopolysaccharide, LPS). CXCR1 and CXCR2 were down-regulated by TLR engagement. CXCR2 loss was more rapid and showed a dependence upon soluble helper molecules (LPS binding protein and CD14) that was not evident for CXCR1, suggesting differential coupling of LPS signalling to CXCR1 and CXCR2 loss. However, TLR engagement in highly pure neutrophils did not result in complete loss of chemokine receptors, and LPS-treated neutrophils remained able to mount a respiratory burst to CXCL8 and CXCL1, and were able to migrate towards CXCL8 in assays of under-agarose chemotaxis. Thus, although treatment of purified human neutrophils with TLR2 and TLR4 agonists modifies chemokine receptor expression, remaining receptors remain functionally competent.     

Effect of inhaled corticosteroid on an immunoreactive thymus and activation-regulated chemokine expression in the bronchial biopsies from asthmatics

BACKGROUND: Bronchial asthma is characterized by airway inflammation, notably because of eosinophils and T cells. Thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC) is known to selectively attract Th2 cells, and is increased in response to interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13, which share a common receptor, IL-4 receptor alpha (IL-4Ralpha). While corticosteroids have proven, very effective in modifying airway inflammation, the effect of corticosteroids on TARC in asthmatics has been little studied. OBJECTIVE: We examined the effects of inhaled budesonide (BUD) on the expression of TARC and the number of inflammatory cells in bronchial biopsy specimens taken from asthma patients. METHODS: Inhaled BUD 800 mug daily, or placebo was administered for 3 months in a double-blind, parallel-group study, and bronchial biopsies were performed before and after treatment. Biopsy specimens were examined by immunocytochemistry. RESULTS: We observed a significant decrease in the epithelial expression of TARC (P < 0.01) in the BUD group compared with the placebo group. This was accompanied by decreases in the number of eosinophils (P < 0.01), CD3(+) T cells (P < 0.05), and CD4(+) T cells (P < 0.01). A significant correlation was found between changes in epithelial TARC and in IL-4Ralpha immunoreactivity (r(s) = 0.66, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that corticosteroid asthma treatment can reduce infiltration of the airway by inflammatory cells, an effect modulated by down-regulation of bronchial epithelial TARC expression.     

Chemokine receptor CXCR4 expression in breast cancer as a potential predictive marker of isolated tumor cells in bone marrow

Interactions between the CXCR4 chemokine receptor in breast cancer cells and the ligand CXCL12/SDF-1α are thought to play an important role in breast cancer metastases. In this pilot study, CXCR4 expression along with other biomarkers including HER2-neu and EGFR, were measured in primary tumor samples of patients with operable breast cancer to test whether any of these biomarkers alone and in combination could indicate breast cancer with high likelihood of metastasizing to bone marrow. Cytokeratin (CK) positive cells in bone marrow were identified by flow-cytometry following enrichment with CK 7/8 antibody-coupled magnetic beads. Primary tumors (n = 18) were stained with specific antibodies for CXCR4, HER2-neu, EGFR, and PCNA using an indirect avidin–biotin horseradish peroxidase method. The majority of the patients had T2/T3 tumors (72%), or lymph node involvement (67%) as pathologic characteristics that were more indicative of high-risk breast cancer. High CXCR4 cytoplasmic expression was found in 7 of 18 patients (39%), whereas 6 of 18 patients (33%) were found to have CK positivity in bone marrow. The median number of CK⁺ cells was 236 (range, 20–847) per 5 × 10⁴ enriched BM cells. The presence of CK⁺ cells in bone marrow was found to be associated with increased expression of CXCR4 alone or in addition to EGFR and/or HER2-neu expression (P = 0.013, P = 0.005, and P = 0.025, respectively) in primary tumors. Furthermore, three patients with high CK positivity (>236 CK⁺ per 5 × 10⁴ enriched bone marrow cells) in bone marrow exclusively expressed high levels of CXCR4 with EGFR/HER2-neu (P = 0.001). Our data suggest that high CXCR4 expression in breast cancer may be a potential marker in predicting isolated tumor cells in bone marrow. CXCR4 coexpression with EGFR/HER2-neu might further predict a particular subset of patients with high CK positivity in bone marrow.     

实验性变态反应性脑脊髓炎大鼠单核细胞趋化蛋白-1的表达与临床评分的相关性

目的：探讨实验性变态反应性脑脊髓炎（EAE）大鼠脑和脊髓中单核细胞趋化蛋白-1（MCP-1）的表达及其与临床评分的关系。方法：将Wistar大鼠分为正常组、佐剂（CFA）组和EAE组,取脑和脊髓制成石蜡切片,进行HE染色和MCP-1mRNA的原位杂交,并与各项临床指标比较。结果：EAE组的体重减轻、MCP-1 mRNA表达的阳性细胞百分数与正常大鼠、佐剂组相比显著性增加。EAE组大鼠MCP-1 mRNA的表达呈动态性变化,其MCP-1 mRNA先于临床症状高表达,并随临床评分的升高而升高,与临床评分呈正相关。结论：MCP-1是参与EAE发病的重要的炎性介质。     

缺血预适应对大鼠保留肾单位手术中缺血再灌注损伤的保护作用及其机制研究

目的 探讨缺血预适应(IPC)动员肾祖细胞(RPC)归巢在保留肾单位手术(NSS)中对肾脏缺血再灌注损伤(IRI)的保护作用及其发生机制。方法 选取2~3月龄、体质量250~300 g的雄性SD大鼠54只,建立切除右肾的单肾模型后采用数字表法随机分为3组,每组18只:假手术组(Sham组,无血管夹闭),NSS组(肾动脉夹闭45 min后行NSS),IPC组(先进行肾动脉夹闭15 min,再灌注10 min预处理,再行NSS)。分别在术后12、24、72 h每组各取出6只大鼠,收集血液及肾组织标本,之后采用颈椎脱臼法处死大鼠。观察项目:(1)检测血肌酐(SCr)、尿素氮(BUN);(2)组织病理学检查及肾小管损伤评分;(3)在24 h观察IPC对肾组织中RPC数量的影响,以及IPC对基质细胞衍生因子(SDF-1)、受体CXCR7表达水平的影响。结果 (1)术后12、24、72 h 时3组大鼠SCr和BUN值比较, IPC组分别为(65.0±10.78)、(91.5±15.12)、(52.6±11.68)μmol/L和(14.78±2.77)、(18.31±4.99)、(9.41±2.73)mmol/L,NSS组分别为(80.5±12.63)、(116.9±14.32)、(83.7±11.43)μmol/L和(18.58±4.18)、(28.86±5.64)、(19.49±3.83)mmol/L, Sham组分别为(41.5±7.36)、(39.7±7.55)、(42.7±7.15)μmol/L和(7.72±1.75)、(7.40±1.98)、(6.83±2.09)mmol/L;除72 h时IPC组与Sham组SCr和BUN值比较差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05)外,在12 h和24 h,IPC组均高于Sham组、低于NSS组,差异均有统计学意义(P值均＜0.05)。(2)术后12、24、72 h肾小管损伤评分IPC组和NSS组均高于Sham组,术后12、24 h IPC组较NSS组肾小管损伤评分低,差异均有统计学意义(P值均＜0.05)。(3)术后24 h,IPC组和NSS组大鼠肾组织中RPC数量明显增加、SDF-1和CXCR7表达显著升高,差异均有统计学意义(P值均＜0.05)。结论 IPC可促进RPC归巢,缓解NSS中IRI损伤程度,保护肾功能,SDF-1/CXCR7轴可能在这一动员过程中发挥了重要作用。     

Activation of Human Monocytes for Enhanced Production of Interleukin 8 During Transendothelial Migration in Vitro

Interleukin-8 (IL-8) is a chemokine for polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) and lymphocytes, which promotes the extravasation of these inflammatory cells. In this study, we investigated IL-8 synthesis induced by the adhesive interaction between monocytes and endothelial cells during transmigration and the capacity of transmigrated monocytes to produce IL-8. Cocultured human monocytes and human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) monolayers induced the synefgistic production of IL-8, compared with cultures of either monocytes or HUVEC monolayers alone. Coculture-induced IL-8 production almost doubled after HUVECs were stimulated with IL-1. The induced IL-8 mRNA expression was consistent with the protein data, indicating the de novo synthesis of IL-8 by the coculture. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against IL-8 inhibited the transendothelial chemotactic activity of the supernatants for PMNs by 55%. Immunohistochemistry revealed that both adherent and transmigrated monocytes and unstimulated HUVECs expressed IL-8 protein, whereas nonadherent monocytes did little. Transmigrated monocytes spontaneously secreted a 3.8-fold greater amount of IL-8 than the initial monocytes. Coculture-induced IL-8 production was inhibited about 30% by polyclonal Abs against IL-, IL-1, or tumor necrosis factor , while it was not affected by mAbs against intercellular adhesion molecule 1 or vascular cell adhesion molecule 1. The results suggested that adhesive interaction during the transmigration of monocytes through HUVEC monolayers activates both cell types to produce IL-8 and that transmigrated monocytes are capable of producing ample IL-8.     

Decreased circulating CXCR3 + CCR9+T helper cells are associated with elevated levels of their ligands CXCL10 and CCL25 in the salivary gland of patients with Sjögren’s syndrome to facilitate their concerted migration

CCR9 + T helper (Th) cells can induce Sjögren-like symptoms in mice and both CCR9 + Th cells and their ligand CCL25 are increased in the salivary glands of primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) patients. Increased circulating CCR9 + Th cells are present in pSS patients. CCR9 + Th cells are hyperresponsive to IL-7, secrete high levels of IFN-γ, IL-21, IL-17 and IL-4 and potently stimulate B cells in both patients and healthy individuals. Our aim was to study co-expression of chemokine receptors on CCR9 + Th cells and whether in pSS this might differentially affect CCR9 + Th cell frequencies. Frequencies of circulating CCR9 + and CCR9- Th cells co-expressing CXCR3, CCR4, CCR6 and CCR10 were studied in pSS patients and healthy controls. CCL25, CXCL10, CCL17, CCL20 and CCL27 mRNA and protein expression of salivary gland tissue of pSS and non-Sjögren's sicca (non-SS) patients was assessed. Chemotaxis assays were performed to study migration induced by CXCL10 and CCL25. Higher expression of CXCR3, CCR4 and CCR6 but not CCR10 was observed on CCR9 + Th cells as compared to cells lacking CCR9. Decreased frequencies of circulating memory CCR9 + CXCR3+ Th cells were found in pSS patients, which was most pronounced in the effector memory subset. Increased salivary gland CCL25 and CXCL10 expression significantly correlated and both ligands functioned synergistically based on in vitro induced chemotaxis. Decreased memory CXCR3 + CCR9+ Th cells in blood of pSS patients may be due to a concerted action of overexpressed ligands at the site of inflammation in the salivary glands facilitating their preferential migration and positioning in the lymphocytic infiltrates.     

Simian Cytomegalovirus Encodes Five Rapidly Evolving Chemokine Receptor Homologues

Many herpesviruses, poxviruses and retroviruses encode proteins related to chemokines and chemokine receptors. The first one discovered, US28 of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), is a 7-transmembrane domain G protein-coupled chemokine receptor able to activate diverse cellular responses, including cell migration and gene expression. A related ORF named US27 is adjacent to US28, but no functions have been defined yet. Recently ORFs 3-7, a cluster of five concatenated ORFs with highest homology to US28 and mammalian chemokine receptors, were sequenced from a prototype "stealth virus", an African green monkey simian CMV (SCMV)-related entity with unusual fungal, bacterial and mammalian gene homologues. Stealth viruses have not yet been independently replicated in tissue culture, and therefore their biological significance remains unclear. ORF3, ORF4, ORF5 and ORF6 are complete ORFs whereas the sequence of ORF7 is incomplete. In the present study, we identified five corresponding ORFs in the genome of a clinical isolate of bonafide simian CMV (SCMV), strain 9610. We found substantial differences between the SCMV and "stealth virus" ORFs, especially for ORF5 where there are 31% non-identities at the amino acid level. Four conserved genes unrelated to chemokines (64K/CAP, DNBI, UL32, and IE2) in SCMV and HCMV had on average 52% identity at the deduced amino acid level, whereas the corresponding values for the SCMV ORFs versus US28 ranged from 21% to 30%, suggesting rapid gene diversification in this cluster. Consistent with this, the amino acid identity for any pairwise comparison among the SCMV ORFs is only 21-52%. The chemokine receptor homologues are estimated to comprise approximately 2-3% of the SCMV genome. HCMV US27 and US28 homologues have also been identified in the chimpanzee CMV genome, whereas mouse and rat CMV lack chemokine receptor homologues. This genomic analysis indicates that SCMV has an unusually high concentration of US28-related chemokine receptor homologues that have arisen by gene duplication and have diverged extensively from their closest relatives in mammals and other beta herpesviruses. The rate of divergence appears to be very rapid compared to other known SCMV genes, suggesting strong positive selection.