Intracellular expression profile and clinical significance of the CCR9-CCL25 chemokine receptor complex in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to investigate the association of C-C chemokine receptor type 9 (CCR9) and C-C motif chemokine 25 (CCL25) expression levels with clinical and tumour-node-metastasis stage in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.


METHODS
A total of 42 nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients (nasopharyngeal carcinoma group) and 18 patients with a normal nasopharynx (control group) were included in this study. Tissues were collected during surgery and medical examinations. The CCR9 and CCL25 messenger RNA and protein levels were measured using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, Western blotting and immunohistochemical analysis.


RESULTS
CCR9 and CCL25 messenger RNA and protein levels were significantly increased in the nasopharyngeal carcinoma group compared with the control group (p < 0.05). Both CCR9 and CCL25 messenger RNA and protein levels were significantly higher in advanced-stage nasopharyngeal carcinoma (stages III and IV) patients compared with early-stage nasopharyngeal carcinoma (stages I and II) patients (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The extent of CCR9 and CCL25 upregulation in nasopharyngeal carcinoma correlates with the tumour-node-metastasis stage.
Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery,Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University,China.
L-F
LF
Ye
Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery,Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University,China.
J
J
Huang
Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery,Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University,China.
L-P
LP
Zhang
Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery,Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University,China.
Z
Z
Chen
D000328:Adult; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002277:Carcinoma; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D019742:Chemokines, CC / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000077274:Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D054388:Receptors, CCR / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
C119309:CC chemokine receptor 9; C108074:CCL25 protein, human; D019742:Chemokines, CC; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D054388:Receptors, CCR
CC; Chemokines; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms