Tissue-specific regulation of CXCL9/10/11 chemokines in keratinocytes: Implications for oral inflammatory disease

PLoS One. 2017 Mar 2;12(3):e0172821. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0172821. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

The IFN-γ-inducible chemokines CXCL9, CXCL10, and CXCL11 play a key role in many inflammatory conditions, particularly those mediated by T cells. Therefore, the production of these chemokines in peripheral tissues could be instrumental in the pathophysiology of tissue-specific immunological diseases such as oral lichen planus (OLP). In the present study, we assessed the production of keratinocyte-derived CXCL9/10/11 under basal and inflammatory conditions and investigated whether these chemokines were involved in the pathogenesis of OLP. We used semi-quantitative PCR, ELISA, chemotaxis assays, and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) to assess the expression and functional role of CXCL9/10/11 in oral keratinocytes (three strains of normal human oral keratinocytes (NHOK), and the H357 oral cancer cell line) in the presence or absence of IFN-γ. CXCL9/10/11 were also assessed in tissues from normal patients and those with oral lichen planus (OLP). The time course study in oral keratinocytes treated with IFN-γ showed that expression of CXCL9/10/11 chemokines was significantly enhanced by IFN-γ in a time-dependent manner. In particular, CXCL10, a prominent chemokine that was overexpressed by IFN-γ-stimulated NHOK, was able to effectively recruit CD4 lymphocytes, mainly CD4+CD45RA- cells. Significantly higher levels of CXCL9/10/11 were found in tissues from patients with OLP compared to normal oral mucosa. Taken together, the results demonstrate that normal oral keratinocytes produce chemotactic molecules that mediate T cell recruitment. This study furthers understanding of chemokine production in oral keratinocytes and their role in the pathophysiology of oral mucosa, with particular relevance to OLP.

MeSH terms

  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Movement / drug effects
  • Chemokine CXCL10 / genetics
  • Chemokine CXCL10 / metabolism
  • Chemokine CXCL11 / genetics
  • Chemokine CXCL11 / metabolism
  • Chemokine CXCL9 / genetics
  • Chemokine CXCL9 / metabolism
  • Chemokines, CXC / genetics
  • Chemokines, CXC / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression Regulation / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Interferon-gamma / pharmacology
  • Keratinocytes / drug effects
  • Keratinocytes / immunology
  • Keratinocytes / metabolism*
  • Lichen Planus, Oral / genetics
  • Lichen Planus, Oral / immunology
  • Lichen Planus, Oral / metabolism*
  • Lichen Planus, Oral / pathology*
  • Mouth Mucosa / pathology
  • Organ Specificity
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Receptors, CXCR3 / metabolism
  • T-Lymphocytes / cytology
  • T-Lymphocytes / drug effects

Substances

  • CXCR3 protein, human
  • Chemokine CXCL10
  • Chemokine CXCL11
  • Chemokine CXCL9
  • Chemokines, CXC
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Receptors, CXCR3
  • Interferon-gamma

Grants and funding

The author(s) received no specific funding for this work.