Up-regulation of the chemokine CCL18 by macrophages is a potential immunomodulatory pathway in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Claudia Gnther - , Department of Dermatology (Author)
  • Nick Zimmermann - , TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)
  • Nicole Berndt - , TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)
  • Marianne Großer - , Institute of Pathology (Author)
  • Annette Stein - , TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)
  • Andre Koch - , Municipal Hospital Dresden (Author)
  • Michael Meurer - , TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)

Abstract

Mycosis fungoides (MF) is the most frequent form of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), which can deteriorate from patch stage to dermal-based tumors and systemic involvement in years. The interaction of chemokines in the skin with CTCL cells might have implications for the pathogenesis of the disease. In this study, we show by PCR analysis and immunofluorescence staining that the chemokine CCL18 is present in skin biopsy specimens of patients with MF and its precursor form parapsoriasis en plaque but not in healthy tissue. In addition, the serum levels of CCL18 were increased threefold in MF patients compared with those in healthy controls. In skin, CCL18 was specifically expressed by CD163 + CD209 + macrophages at the invasive margin of the tumor and not expressed by mature CD208 + dendritic cells in the center of the tumor. The chemokine CCL17 was, by contrast, ubiquitously expressed. Furthermore, CCL18 promoted the chemotaxis but not the proliferation of CTCL cells. CCL18 inhibited proliferation of tumor cells and abolished the CXCL12-induced growth of a CTCL cell line. These data link the increased expression of CCL18 with CTCL and suggest an immunomodulatory effect of the chemokine in the pathogenesis of CTCL.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1434-1442
Number of pages9
JournalAmerican Journal of Pathology
Volume179
Issue number3
Publication statusPublished - Sept 2011
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 21741937
ORCID /0000-0002-4330-1861/work/152544370

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas