title: The chemokine CCL20 and its receptor CCR6 in human malignancy with focus on colorectal cancer.
abstract: Chemokines are a superfamily of small chemotactic cytokines, which interact with their G-protein-coupled receptors. These interactions regulate multiple physiological functions, particularly tissue architecture and compartment-specific migration of white blood cells. It has been found that the chemokine/chemokine receptor system has been utilized by cancer cells for migration and metastasis. The chemokine receptor CCR6 is expressed in colorectal cancer and several other cancer types, and stimulation by its physiological chemokine ligand CCL20 has been reported to promote cancer cell proliferation and migration in vitro. Moreover, CCR6/CCL20 interactions apparently play a role in organ selective liver metastasis of colorectal cancer. Here, we review the literature on expression patterns of CCL20 and CCR6 and their physiological interactions as well as the currently presumed role of CCR6 and CCL20 in the formation of colorectal cancer liver metastasis, providing a potential basis for novel treatment strategies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Freiburgstrasse, Bern, Switzerland. pirus.ghadjar@insel.ch
authors.forename: Pirus
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ghadjar
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rubie
authors.forename: Daniel M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Aebersold
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Keilholz
mesh_terms: D054418:Chemokine CCL20 / Q000378:metabolism*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D054399:Receptors, CCR6 / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C108355:CCL20 protein, human; C106311:CCR6 protein, human; D054418:Chemokine CCL20; D054399:Receptors, CCR6