title: CCR6/CCL20 chemokine expression profile in distinct colorectal malignancies.
abstract: Originally, chemokines and their G-protein-coupled receptors were described to regulate multiple physiological functions, particularly tissue architecture and compartment-specific migration of white blood cells. Now, it is established that the chemokine/chemokine receptor system is also used by cancer cells for migration and metastatic spread. Here, we examined the relative levels of CC-chemokine CCL20 and its corresponding receptor CCR6 in resection specimens from patients with different malignant and non-malignant colorectal diseases as well as in colorectal liver metastases (CRLM). CCL20/CCR6 mRNA and protein expression profiles were assessed by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) in resection specimens from patients with ulcerative colitis (UC, n = 15), colorectal adenoma (CRA, n = 15), colorectal adenocarcinoma (CRC, n = 61) and colorectal liver metastases (CRLM, n = 16). Corresponding non-diseased tissues served as control. In contrast to UC tissues, the CCL20/CCR6 system showed a distinct upregulation in CRA, CRC and CRLM related to corresponding non-affected tissues (P < 0.05, respectively). Furthermore, CRA, CRC and CRLM tissue samples displayed significantly higher protein amounts of CCL20 in comparison with UC specimens (P < 0.05, respectively). Our results strongly suggest an association between CCL20/CCR6 expression and the induction of CRA, CRC and the development of CRLM. Therefore, CCL20 and CCR6 may provide potential targets for novel treatment strategies of CRC.
authors.affiliation: Department of General, Visceral, Vascular and Pediatric Surgery, University of the Saarland, Homburg/Saar, Germany.
authors.forename: V O
authors.initials: VO
authors.lastname: Frick
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rubie
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kölsch
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ghadjar
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Graeber
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Glanemann
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D000236:Adenoma / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D054418:Chemokine CCL20 / Q000378:metabolism*; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000556:secondary; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054399:Receptors, CCR6 / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C108355:CCL20 protein, human; C106311:CCR6 protein, human; D054418:Chemokine CCL20; D054399:Receptors, CCR6