title: CCR9 AND CCR7 are overexpressed in CD4-CD8-thymocytes of myasthenia gravis patients.
abstract: Chemokine CC motif receptors 9 and 7 (CCR9 and CCR7) play a major role in the migration of T-cell precursors to the thymus to initiate T thymopoiesis. However, their role in development of T-cells in myasthenia gravis (MG) patients has not been fully elucidated.
  
  
  
  Expression and distribution of CCR9+and CCR7+cells were detected by flow cytometry and immunofluorescence. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to check the adhesion molecules on CD4-CD8-double-negative (DN) thymocytes.
  
  
  
  CCR9 and CCR7 expression by DN thymocytes increased in the MG thymus; the levels of CCR9, CCR7, interleukin-7R mRNA increased, and CXCR4 levels decreased compared with levels in the non-MG thymus. More CCR7 and CCR9 double-positive (DP) thymocytes were gathered near the subcapsular region in MG thymus.
  
  
  
  Enhanced expression of CCR9 and CCR7 may complicate the differentiation of DP thymocytes from the DN stage in MG thymus. Muscle Nerve, 2016 Muscle Nerve 55: 84-90, 2017.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Basic Medical College, Zhengzhou University, No.100 of Science Road, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Qianru
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Basic Medical College, Zhengzhou University, No.100 of Science Road, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Pingping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Basic Medical College, Zhengzhou University, No.100 of Science Road, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Xiaoyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xuan
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Junfeng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Basic Medical College, Zhengzhou University, No.100 of Science Road, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Basic Medical College, Zhengzhou University, No.100 of Science Road, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Zhengkun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Henan Institute of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Qingyong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Basic Medical College, Zhengzhou University, No.100 of Science Road, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Du
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000473:pathology*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D054388:Receptors, CCR / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D054400:Receptors, CCR7 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D060168:Thymocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C119309:CC chemokine receptor 9; C515370:CCR7 protein, human; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D054388:Receptors, CCR; D054400:Receptors, CCR7; C056725:CD4 (76-94)
keywords: CCR7; CCR9; chemokine receptor; myasthenia gravis; thymocyte