title: Expression of cys-cys chemokine ligand 21 on human gingival lymphatic vessels.
abstract: The cys-cys (C-C) chemokine ligand 21 is a member of the C-C chemokines that constitute a group of heparin-binding cytokines with a pattern of four or six conserved cysteines. The CCL21 is known to be expressed in secondary lymphoid tissues, however it has rarely been reported for the expression on peripheral lymphatic vessels in somatic tissue. Here we investigated the expression of CCL21 on lymphatic vessels identified by anti-desmoplakin in uninflamed and inflamed human gingiva. In uninflamed tissue the expression of CCL21 was detected on lymphatic vessels in gingiva. In uninflamed gingiva the expression of CCL21 was detected on all lymphatic capillaries of the mucosal connective tissue papillae. There were two types of collecting lymphatic vessels in the lamina propria mucosae expressing CCL21 strongly or very weakly. In inflamed gingiva no expression of CCL21 was detected on lymphatic vessels. In all tissue sections no blood vessels expressing CCL21 were observed. These results may suggest that the expression of CCL21 is predominantly induced in the peripheral lymphatic endothelium of the uninflamed mucosal microcirculation, and that under inflamed conditions a reduction of CCL21 occurs in lymphatic endothelium.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Health Science, Graduate School of Dental Medicine, Hokkaido University, N13 W7, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8586, Japan. sk@den.hokudai.ac.jp
authors.forename: Shin-ichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kuroshima
authors.forename: Yoshihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sawa
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamaoka
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Notani
authors.forename: Shigemitsu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Nobuo
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Inoue
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D054421:Chemokine CCL21; D019742:Chemokines, CC / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051180:Desmoplakins; D004729:Endothelium, Lymphatic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D005881:Gingiva / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D042601:Lymphatic Vessels / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; C515478:CCL21 protein, human; D054421:Chemokine CCL21; D019742:Chemokines, CC; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; C495294:DSP protein, human; D051180:Desmoplakins