title: Longitudinal study of chemokine receptor expression on peripheral lymphocytes in multiple sclerosis: CXCR3 upregulation is associated with relapse.
abstract: The interaction between chemokines and their receptors leads to selective recruitment of cells to foci of inflammation. Cross-sectional studies have reported significantly different expression of chemokine receptors CXCR3, CCR5 and CCR2 on peripheral blood lymphocytes in multiple sclerosis (MS) compared with controls. Cells expressing these receptors are likely to play a pathogenic role as suggested by studies of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Also, immunogenetic studies of nonfunctional CCR5 receptors in MS patients, due to 32delta deletion, demonstrated a delay in time to next relapse. The aims of this study were to detect any changes in the serial expression of chemokine receptors CCR2, CCR3, CCR5 and CXCR3 on peripheral blood CD4+ lymphocytes from patients with MS and to correlate the changes with relapses. Upregulation of CXCR3 expression on peripheral blood CD4+ lymphocytes was associated with all relapses and CCR5 expression was significantly affected with all relapses. Clinical recovery, with or without intravenous methylprednisolone treatment, coincided with the return of CXCR3 towards baseline in all but one case. Fluctuation in the expression of CXCR3 and CCR5 was also significantly greater in clinically stable patients with MS compared with controls, which may be due to subclinical disease activity. These findings provide further support for the view that CXCR3 and CCR5 antagonists could have a therapeutic value in MS.
authors.affiliation: Division of Biomedical Sciences, Sheffield Hallam University, Howard Street, Sheffield, S1 1WB, UK.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Mahad
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lawry
authors.forename: S J L
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Howell
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Woodroofe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015415:Biomarkers; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000378:metabolism; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D054390:Receptors, CCR2; D019713:Receptors, CCR5 / Q000378:metabolism; D054367:Receptors, CXCR3; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine / Q000378:metabolism*; D012008:Recurrence; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; C515334:CCR2 protein, human; C515187:CXCR3 protein, human; D054390:Receptors, CCR2; D019713:Receptors, CCR5; D054367:Receptors, CXCR3; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D008775:Methylprednisolone