title: Involvement of Chemokines and a CD4-Positive T Cell Subset in the Development of Conjunctival Secondary Lymphoid Follicles in an Atopic Keratoconjunctivitis Mouse Model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Massive B cell lymphoid hyperplasia and its associated factors may play a role in exacerbating inflammation in allergic disorders. We here investigated the chemokines and CD4-positive T cell subset involved in the development of secondary lymphoid follicles (iCALT) in conjunctival tissues in an atopic keratoconjunctivitis mouse model (AKC mouse).
  
  
  METHODS
  NC/Nga mice were divided into three groups: AKC (percutaneous sensitization and instillation of crude house dust mite antigen), AD (percutaneous sensitization only) and C (untreated control). Pathological changes in the conjunctival tissues of each group were investigated using histological and immunohistochemical detection of CD4 and CD20. Furthermore, tissue sections of iCALT (AKC-iCALT subgroup) and conjunctiva without iCALT (AKC-conjunctiva subgroup) were obtained from AKC mice using laser-assisted microdissection. mRNA expression of chemokine and T cell subset-related transcription factors were compared between the AKC-iCALT and AKC-conjunctiva subgroups using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) array and real-time reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  iCALT with central aggregation of CD20-positive B cells and CD4-positive T cell infiltration surrounding B cells was observed in the palpebral conjunctival tissue of the AKC group, but not in that of the AD and C groups. Chemokine and T cell subset-related transcription factor expression was confirmed using real-time RT-PCR, with significant increases in Ccl5, Ccl17, Cxl20, Cxcl3, Ccr7, Foxp3 and T-bet mRNA expression in the AKC-iCALT subgroup compared with those in the AKC-conjunctiva subgroup.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We concluded that CCL5, CCL17 and CCL20, as well as T-bet- and Foxp3-positive lymphocytes may be iCALT-related factors and that iCALT-related chemokines are worth evaluating as biomarkers.
authors: Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Visual Sciences, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Jun
authors: J
authors: Shoji
authors: Yoko
authors: Y
authors: Nakanishi
authors: Akiko
authors: A
authors: Ishimori
authors: Tohru
authors: T
authors: Sakimoto
authors: Noriko
authors: N
authors: Inada
authors: Norimichi
authors: N
authors: Nemoto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018951:Antigens, CD20 / Q000378:metabolism; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D018925:Chemokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D003233:Conjunctivitis, Allergic / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051379:Mice; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018951:Antigens, CD20; D018925:Chemokines; D014157:Transcription Factors