title: Production of CCL20 on nucleus pulposus cells recruits IL-17-producing cells to degenerated IVD tissues in rat models.
abstract: IL-17-producing cells play an important role in various autoimmune diseases. A higher level of IL-17-producing cells is observed in patients with intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration. However, the mechanism of the accumulation of IL-17-producing cells remains to be elucidated. Our aim is to demonstrate whether the interaction of CC chemokine ligand (CCL) 20 and its specific receptor CCR6 is involved in the recruitment of IL-17-producing cells to degenerated disc tissues in rat models. The well-accepted needle puncture model and the autologous nucleus pulposus application model of rats were established. All of the animals were randomly divided into four groups: the sham surgery group, the needle puncture group (NP group), the sham surgery + autologous nucleus pulposus application group (sham-ANPA group) and the needle puncture + autologous nucleus pulposus application group (NP-ANPA group). Immunohistochemical staining, western blot and real-time PCR were used to evaluate the expression levels of CCL20, IL-17 and CCR6 in the IVD samples. Moreover, the IL-17 concentrations in the serum were detected by ELISA. Pearson correlations were performed to analyse the correlation among the expressions of CCL20, CCR6 and IL-17. The expressions of CCL20, IL17 and CCR6 were dramatically elevated in comparison with the control groups. The circulating IL-17 in the serum of the NP-ANPA group was elevated compared to the sham surgery group. In addition, there was a positive correlation among the expression levels of CCL20, CCR6 and IL-17. The results suggest a potential mechanism for the recruitment of IL-17-producing cells to degenerated intervertebral discs via a CCL20/CCR6 system in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, No. 107 Wenhuaxi Rd, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Yuanqiang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, No. 107 Wenhuaxi Rd, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Lian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, No. 107 Wenhuaxi Rd, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Shuaishuai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, No. 107 Wenhuaxi Rd, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Yunpeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, No. 107 Wenhuaxi Rd, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, No. 107 Wenhuaxi Rd, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Jingkun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, No. 107 Wenhuaxi Rd, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nie
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, No. 107 Wenhuaxi Rd, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China. chengleiyx@126.com.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000276:immunology; D054418:Chemokine CCL20 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D055959:Intervertebral Disc Degeneration / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D054399:Receptors, CCR6 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: C486997:Ccl20 protein, rat; D054418:Chemokine CCL20; D020381:Interleukin-17; D054399:Receptors, CCR6
keywords: CC chemokine ligand 20; CC chemokine receptor 6; Degenerated intervertebral discs; Interleukin-17; Nucleus pulposus; Rats