title: Chemokine receptor expression in non-melanoma skin cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies suggest that chemokines and chemokine receptors have a role in the metastatic process. A correlation exists between the specific expression of these chemoattractive, pro-inflammatory cytokines and the ability of cancer to disseminate. Prior studies have shown that in metastatic melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck upregulation of CXC (alpha) chemokine receptor (CXCR)4 and CC (beta) chemokine receptor (CCR)7 expression is accompanied by downregulation of the chemokine receptor CCR6. However, the expression patterns of CCR6, CCR7 and CXCR4 in non-melanoma skin cancer have yet to be elucidated.
  
  
  METHODS
  The expression patterns of CCR6, CCR7 and CXCR4 were determined using an immunohistochemical approach on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded normal, pre-cancerous actinic (solar) keratosis, squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma tissues.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analysis of chemokine receptor expression showed downregulation of CCR6 and upregulation of CCR7 and CXCR4 in potentially metastatic non-melanoma skin cancer, invasive squamous cell carcinoma, but this pattern did not exist in non-melanoma skin cancer with no metastatic potential, basal cell carcinoma; or actinic keratosis, when compared with normal skin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chemokine receptor expression may influence the biological behavior of non-melanoma skin cancer. The exact mechanism by which this occurs requires further study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Graduate Studies, Medical University of South Carolina, College of Medicine, USA.
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Basile
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Thiers
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maize
authors.forename: Deanne M R
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Lathers
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015536:Down-Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007642:Keratosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000503:physiopathology; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D054399:Receptors, CCR6 / Q000378:metabolism*; D054400:Receptors, CCR7 / Q000378:metabolism*; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4 / Q000378:metabolism*; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays / Q000009:adverse effects; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C106311:CCR6 protein, human; C515370:CCR7 protein, human; C527276:CXCR4 protein, human; D054399:Receptors, CCR6; D054400:Receptors, CCR7; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4