C-C motif chemokine receptor 2 and 7 synergistically control inflammatory monocyte recruitment but the infecting virus dictates monocyte function in the brain.

Inflammatory monocytes (iMO) are recruited from the bone marrow to the brain during viral encephalitis. C-C motif chemokine receptor (CCR) 2 deficiency substantially reduces iMO recruitment for most, but not all encephalitic viruses. Here we show CCR7 acts synergistically with CCR2 to control this process. Following Herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1), or La Crosse virus (LACV) infection, we find iMO proportions are reduced by approximately half in either Ccr2 or Ccr7 knockout mice compared to control mice. However, Ccr2/Ccr7 double knockouts eliminate iMO recruitment following infection with either virus, indicating these receptors together control iMO recruitment. We also find that LACV induces a more robust iMO recruitment than HSV-1. However, unlike iMOs in HSV-1 infection, LACV-recruited iMOs do not influence neurological disease development. LACV-induced iMOs have higher expression of proinflammatory and proapoptotic but reduced mitotic, phagocytic and phagolysosomal transcripts compared to HSV-1-induced iMOs. Thus, virus-specific activation of iMOs affects their recruitment, activation, and function.

CCR2-dependent CX3CR1+ colonic macrophages promote Enterococcus faecalis dissemination.

Enterococci are common commensal bacteria that colonize the gastrointestinal tracts of most mammals, including humans. Importantly, these bacteria are one of the leading causes of nosocomial infections. This study examined the role of colonic macrophages in facilitating Enterococcus faecalis infections in mice. We determined that depletion of colonic phagocytes resulted in the reduction of E. faecalis dissemination to the gut-draining mesenteric lymph nodes. Furthermore, we established that trafficking of monocyte-derived CX3CR1-expressing macrophages contributed to E. faecalis dissemination in a manner that was not reliant on CCR7, the conventional receptor involved in lymphatic migration. Finally, we showed that E. faecalis mutants with impaired intracellular survival exhibited reduced dissemination, suggesting that E. faecalis can exploit host immune cell migration to disseminate systemically and cause disease. Our findings indicate that modulation of macrophage trafficking in the context of antibiotic therapy could serve as a novel approach for preventing or treating opportunistic infections by disseminating enteric pathobionts like E. faecalis.

Role of CCR1/5/7 in hepatocellular carcinoma: a study on prognostic evaluation, molecular subtyping, and association with immune infiltration.

This study aims to assess the prognostic value of the C-C motif chemokine receptor (CCR) gene family in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its relationship with immune infiltration and molecular subtypes of HCC. The evaluation of the GSE14520 dataset and TCGA database confirmed the prognostic significance of CCR. Building upon the correlation between CCR1, CCR5, and CCR7 and favorable prognosis, we further validated the prognostic importance of CCR1, CCR5, and CCR7 in ICGC database and an independent cohort from Guangxi autonomous region. Then, we constructed a risk prognosis model. Additionally, we observed significant positive correlations between CCR1, CCR5, and CCR7 and the infiltration of B cells, T cells, and macrophages in HCC. Subsequently, we conducted CCK assays, Transwell assays, and colony formation assays to evaluate the molecular biological functions of CCR1, CCR5, and CCR7. These experiments further confirmed that upregulation of CCR1, CCR5, and CCR7 can individually inhibit the proliferation, migration, and stemness of HCC cells. By analyzing the relationship between expression levels and tumor mutation frequency, we discovered that patients with high CCR1 expression were more likely to be classified as non-proliferative HCC. Similar conclusions were observed for CCR5 and CCR7. The association of CCR1, CCR5, and CCR7 with the molecular subtypes of HCC suggests that they may serve as intermediary molecules linking immune status and molecular subtypes in HCC. In summary, CCR1, CCR5, and CCR7 have the potential to serve as prognostic biomarkers for HCC and regulate HCC progression by influencing immune cell infiltration.

CD6 and CCR7 as Genetic Biomarkers in Evaluating Intracranial Aneurysm Rupture Risk.

BACKGROUND: This study used bioinformatics combined with statistical methods to identify plasma biomarkers that can predict intracranial aneurysm (IA) rupture and provide a strong theoretical basis for the search for new IA rupture prevention methods. METHODS: We downloaded gene expression profiles in the GSE36791 and GSE122897 datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Data were normalized using the "sva" R package and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified using the "limma" R package. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were used for DEG function analysis. Univariate logistic regression analysis, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression modeling, and the support vector machine recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE) algorithm were used to identify key biomarker genes. Data from GSE122897 and GSE13353 were extracted to verify our findings. RESULTS: Eight co-DEG mRNAs were identified in the GSE36791 and GSE122897 datasets. Genes associated with inflammatory responses were clustered in the co-DEG mRNAs in IAs. CD6 and C-C chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7) were identified as key genes associated with IA. CD6 and CCR7 were upregulated in patients with IA and their expression levels were positively correlated. There were significant differences in the infiltration of immune cells between IAs and normal vascular wall tissues (p < 0.05). A predictive nomogram was designed using this two-gene signature. Binary transformation of CD6 and CCR7 was performed according to the cut-off value to construct the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve and showed a strong predictive ability of the CD6-CCR7 gene signature (p < 0.01; area under the curve (AUC): 0.90; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.88-0.92). Furthermore, validation of this two-gene signature using the GSE122897 and GSE13353 datasets proved it to be valuable for clinical application. CONCLUSIONS: The identified two-gene signature (CD6-CCR7) for evaluating the risk of IA rupture demonstrated good clinical application value.

Analysis of the effect of CCR7 on the microenvironment of mouse oral squamous cell carcinoma by single-cell RNA sequencing technology.

BACKGROUND: Studies have shown that CCR7, an important inflammatory factor, can promote the proliferation and metastasis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), but its role in the tumor microenvironment (TME) remains unclear. This paper explores the role of CCR7 in the TME of OSCC. METHODS: In this work, we constructed CCR7 gene knockout mice and OSCC mouse models. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and bioinformatics were used to analyze the differences in the OSCC microenvironment between three CCR7 gene knockout mice (KO) and three wild-type mice (WT). Immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence staining, and flow cytometry were used to analyze the expression of key genes in significantly different cell types between the KO and WT groups. An in vitro experiment was used to verify the effect of CCR7 on M2 macrophage polarization. RESULTS: In the mouse OSCC models, the tumor growth rate in the KO group was significantly lower than that in the WT group. Eight main cell types (including tumor cells, fibroblasts, macrophages, granulocytes, T cells, endothelial cells, monocytes, and B cells) were identified by Seurat analysis. The scRNA-seq results showed that the proportion of tumor cells was lower, but the proportion of inflammatory cells was significantly higher in the KO group than in the WT group. CellPhoneDB analysis results indicated a strong interaction relationship between tumor cells and macrophages, T cells, fibroblasts, and endothelial cells. Functional enrichment results indicated that the expression level of the Dusp1 gene in the KO group was generally higher than that in the WT group in various cell types. Macrophage subclustering results indicated that the proportion of M2 macrophages in the KO group was lower than that in the WT group. In vitro experimental results showed that CCR7 can promote M2 macrophage polarization, thus promoting the proliferation, invasion and migration of OSCC cells. CONCLUSIONS: CCR7 gene knockout can significantly inhibit the growth of mouse oral squamous cell carcinoma by promoting the polarization of M2 macrophages.

Chronic SIV-Induced neuroinflammation disrupts CCR7+ CD4+ T cell immunosurveillance in the rhesus macaque brain.

CD4+ T cells survey and maintain immune homeostasis in the brain, yet their differentiation states and functional capabilities remain unclear. Our approach, combining single-cell transcriptomic analysis, ATAC-Seq, spatial transcriptomics, and flow cytometry, revealed a distinct subset of CCR7+ CD4+ T cells resembling lymph node central memory (TCM) cells. We observed chromatin accessibility at the CCR7, CD28, and BCL-6 loci, defining molecular features of TCM. Brain CCR7+ CD4+ T cells exhibited recall proliferation and interleukin-2 production ex vivo, showcasing their functional competence. We identified the skull bone marrow as a local niche for these cells alongside CNS border tissues. Sequestering TCM cells in lymph nodes using FTY720 led to reduced CCR7+ CD4+ T cell frequencies in the cerebrospinal fluid, accompanied by increased monocyte levels and soluble markers indicating immune activation. In macaques chronically infected with SIVCL757 and experiencing viral rebound due to cessation of antiretroviral therapy, a decrease in brain CCR7+ CD4+ T cells was observed, along with increased microglial activation and initiation of neurodegenerative pathways. Our findings highlight a role for CCR7+ CD4+ T cells in CNS immune surveillance, and their decline during chronic SIV highlights their responsiveness to neuroinflammation.

Tumour-retained activated CCR7+ dendritic cells are heterogeneous and regulate local anti-tumour cytolytic activity.

Tumour dendritic cells (DCs) internalise antigen and upregulate CCR7, which directs their migration to tumour-draining lymph nodes (dLN). CCR7 expression is coupled to an activation programme enriched in regulatory molecule expression, including PD-L1. However, the spatio-temporal dynamics of CCR7+ DCs in anti-tumour immune responses remain unclear. Here, we use photoconvertible mice to precisely track DC migration. We report that CCR7+ DCs are the dominant DC population that migrate to the dLN, but a subset remains tumour-resident despite CCR7 expression. These tumour-retained CCR7+ DCs are phenotypically and transcriptionally distinct from their dLN counterparts and heterogeneous. Moreover, they progressively downregulate the expression of antigen presentation and pro-inflammatory transcripts with more prolonged tumour dwell-time. Tumour-residing CCR7+ DCs co-localise with PD-1+CD8+ T cells in human and murine solid tumours, and following anti-PD-L1 treatment, upregulate stimulatory molecules including OX40L, thereby augmenting anti-tumour cytolytic activity. Altogether, these data uncover previously unappreciated heterogeneity in CCR7+ DCs that may underpin a variable capacity to support intratumoural cytotoxic T cells.

ZAP-70 augments tonic B-cell receptor and CCR7 signaling in IGHV-unmutated chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

ABSTRACT: Expression of ZAP-70 in a subset of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) positively correlates with the absence of immunoglobulin heavy-chain gene (IGHV) mutations and is indicative of a more active disease and shorter treatment-free survival. We recently demonstrated that ZAP-70 regulates the constitutive expression of CCL3 and CCL4, activation of AKT, and expression of MYC in the absence of an overt B-cell receptor (BCR) signal, bona fide functions of BCR activation. We, here, provide evidence that these features relate to the presence of a constitutive tonic BCR signal, exclusively found in IGHV-unmutated CLL and dependent on the ZAP-70-mediated activation of AKT and its downstream target GSK-3ß. These findings are associated with increased steady-state activation of CD19 and SRC. Notably this tonic BCR signal is not present in IGHV-mutated CLL cells, discordantly expressing ZAP-70. Results of quantitative mass spectrometry and phosphoprotein analyses indicate that this ZAP-70-dependent, tonic BCR signal regulates CLL cell migration through phosphorylation of LCP1 on serine-5. Indeed, we show that CCL19- and CCL21-induced chemotaxis is regulated by and dependent on the expression of ZAP-70 through its function to enhance CCR7 signaling to LCP1. Thus, our data demonstrate that ZAP-70 converges a tonic BCR signal, exclusively present in IGHV-unmutated CLL and CCR7-mediated chemotaxis.

Construction of ceRNA prognostic model based on the CCR7/CCL19 chemokine axis as a biomarker in breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: The study of CCR7/CCL19 chemokine axis and breast cancer (BC) prognosis and metastasis is a current hot topic. We constructed a ceRNA network and risk-prognosis model based on CCR7/CCL19. METHODS: Based on the lncRNA, miRNA and mRNA expression data downloaded from the TCGA database, we used the starbase website to find the lncRNA and miRNA of CCR7/CCL19 and established the ceRNA network. The 1008 BC samples containing survival data were divided into Train group (504 cases) and Test group (504 cases) using R "caret" package. Then we constructed a prognostic risk model using RNA screened by univariate Cox analysis in the Train group and validated it in the Test and All groups. In addition, we explored the correlation between riskScores and clinical trials and immune-related factors (22 immune-infiltrating cells, tumor microenvironment, 13 immune-related pathways and 24 HLA genes). After transfection with knockdown CCR7, we observed the activity and migration ability of MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells using CCK8, scratch assays and angiogenesis assays. Finally, qPCR was used to detect the expression levels of five RNAs in the prognostic risk model in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cell. RESULTS: Patients with high expression of CCR7 and CCL19 had significantly higher overall survival times than those with low expression. The ceRNA network is constructed by 3 pairs of mRNA-miRNA pairs and 8 pairs of miRNA-lncRNA. After multivariate Cox analysis, we obtained a risk prognostic model: riskScore= -1.544 *`TRG-AS1`+ 0.936 * AC010327.5 + 0.553 *CCR7 -0.208 *CCL19 -0.315 *`hsa-let-7b-5p. Age, stage and riskScore can all be used as independent risk factors for BC prognosis. By drug sensitivity analysis, we found 5 drugs targeting CCR7 (convolamine, amikacin, AH-23,848, ondansetron, flucloxacillin). After transfection with knockdown CCR7, we found a significant reduction in cell activity and migration capacity in MDA-MB-231 cells. CONCLUSION: We constructed the first prognostic model based on the CCR7/CCL19 chemokine axis in BC and explored its role in immune infiltration, tumor microenvironment, and HLA genes.

CCL21-CCR7 signaling promotes microglia/macrophage recruitment and chemotherapy resistance in glioblastoma.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and fatal primary tumor of the central nervous system (CNS) and current treatments have limited success. Chemokine signaling regulates both malignant cells and stromal cells of the tumor microenvironment (TME), constituting a potential therapeutic target against brain cancers. Here, we investigated the C-C chemokine receptor type 7 (CCR7) and the chemokine (C-C-motif) ligand 21 (CCL21) for their expression and function in human GBM and then assessed their therapeutic potential in preclinical mouse GBM models. In GBM patients, CCR7 expression positively associated with a poor survival. CCL21-CCR7 signaling was shown to regulate tumor cell migration and proliferation while also controlling tumor associated microglia/macrophage recruitment and VEGF-A production, thereby controlling vascular dysmorphia. Inhibition of CCL21-CCR7 signaling led to an increased sensitivity to temozolomide-induced tumor cell death. Collectively, our data indicate that drug targeting of CCL21-CCR7 signaling in tumor and TME cells is a therapeutic option against GBM.

Targeting CCR7-PI3Kγ overcomes resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors in ALK-rearranged lymphoma.

Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) show potent efficacy in several ALK-driven tumors, but the development of resistance limits their long-term clinical impact. Although resistance mechanisms have been studied extensively in ALK-driven non-small cell lung cancer, they are poorly understood in ALK-driven anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL). Here, we identify a survival pathway supported by the tumor microenvironment that activates phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase γ (PI3K-γ) signaling through the C-C motif chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7). We found increased PI3K signaling in patients and ALCL cell lines resistant to ALK TKIs. PI3Kγ expression was predictive of a lack of response to ALK TKI in patients with ALCL. Expression of CCR7, PI3Kγ, and PI3Kδ were up-regulated during ALK or STAT3 inhibition or degradation and a constitutively active PI3Kγ isoform cooperated with oncogenic ALK to accelerate lymphomagenesis in mice. In a three-dimensional microfluidic chip, endothelial cells that produce the CCR7 ligands CCL19/CCL21 protected ALCL cells from apoptosis induced by crizotinib. The PI3Kγ/δ inhibitor duvelisib potentiated crizotinib activity against ALCL lines and patient-derived xenografts. Furthermore, genetic deletion of CCR7 blocked the central nervous system dissemination and perivascular growth of ALCL in mice treated with crizotinib. Thus, blockade of PI3Kγ or CCR7 signaling together with ALK TKI treatment reduces primary resistance and the survival of persister lymphoma cells in ALCL.

CCL19/CCR7 drives regulatory T cell migration and indicates poor prognosis in gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer is associated with significant morbidity and mortality in the world. Blocking programmed cell death protein 1 pathway have been approved for the treatment of a variety of tumors and have achieved remarkable clinical therapeutic effects. However, immune checkpoint inhibitors failed to achieve satisfactory results in gastric cancer. There is a need to identify novel immunotherapy targets in gastric cancer. METHODS: We analysed the correlation between Treg cells and CD8 + T cells in gastric cancer samples. We studied the relationship between chemokines and Treg cells or CD8 + T cells in gastric cancer. We compared CCL19/CCR7 expression in gastric cancer patients in TCGA database. We performed transwell experiments to determine the influence of CCL19 on Treg cells and CD8 + T cells migratory capacity. We conducted survival analysis of CCL19 and CCR7 in gastric cancer database. RESULTS: Treg cells show positive correlation with CD8 + T cells in gastric cancer. Treg cell expression was significantly upregulated in tumor tissues. Patients with high FOXP3 expression had worse overall survival than those with low FOXP3 expression. CCL19 had strong correlation with FOXP3 and weak correlation with CD8A. CCL19 had strong impact on the migratory capacity of Treg cells but weak impact on the migratory capacity of CD8 + T cells. Both CCL19 and CCR7 expression were significantly upregulated in gastric cancer tissues. Survival analysis demonstrated that both CCL19 and CCR7 indicate poor prognosis in gastric cancer. CONCLUSIONS: CCL19/CCR7 may be a potential novel therapeutic target in gastric cancer.

Effects of chemokine receptor CCR7 in the pathophysiology and clinical features of the immuno-inflammatory response in primary pterygium.

OBJECTIVE: Chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7) has been considered a critical biomarker in inflammation and the immune response; however, little is known about CCR7 in pterygia. This study aimed to investigate whether CCR7 participates in the pathogenesis of primary pterygia and how CCR7 affects the progression of pterygia. METHODS: This was an experimental study. Slip-lamp photographs of 85 pterygium patients were used to measure the width, extent, and area of pterygia with computer software. Pterygium blood vessels and general ocular redness were quantitatively analyzed with a specific algorithm. The expression of CCR7 and its ligands C-C motif ligand 19 (CCL19) and C-C motif ligand 21 (CCL21) in control conjunctivae and excised pterygia collected during surgery were analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and immunofluorescence staining. The phenotype of CCR7-expressing cells was identified by costaining for major histocompatibility complex II (MHC II), CD11b or CD11c. RESULTS: The CCR7 level was significantly increased by 9.6-fold in pterygia compared with control conjunctivae (p = 0.008). The higher the expression of CCR7 was, the more blood vessels appeared in pterygia (r = 0.437, p = 0.002) and the more general ocular redness was (r = 0.51, p < 0.001) in pterygium patients. CCR7 was significantly associated with pterygium extent (r = 0.286, p = 0.048). In addition, we found that CCR7 colocalized with CD11b, CD11c or MHC II in dendritic cells, and immunofluorescence staining showed that CCR7-CCL21 is a potential chemokine axis in pterygium. CONCLUSIONS: This work verified that CCR7 impacts the extent of primary pterygia invading the cornea and inflammation at the ocular surface, which may provide a possibility for a further in-depth understanding of the immunological mechanism in pterygia.

CCL21/CCR7 axis regulates demyelination and vascular cognitive impairment in a mouse model for chronic cerebral hypoperfusion.

OBJECTIVES: White matter lesions (WML) are usually accompanied by cognitive decline, which consist of axonal loss and demyelination. CC chemokine ligand 21 (CCL21) and its receptor C-C chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7) belong to the chemokine family, which are involved in many diseases. However, their function in the central nervous system (CNS) is still unexplored. This study aimed to explore the role of CCL21/CCR7 axis in the pathological process of chronic ischemia-induced WML. METHODS: Bilateral common carotid artery stenosis (BCAS) was employed in C57BL/6 mice as the in vivo WML model. Microarray analysis was performed to detect the overall molecular changes induced in the endothelial cells by BCAS. Q-PCR, Western blotting, and immunofluorescence staining were performed to evaluate expression levels of the related molecules. The mice were injected with LV-CCL21-GFP virus in the corpus callosum to overexpress CCL21. WML degree was determined via MRI, and cognitive ability was assessed by Y-maze and novel object recognition tests. Myelin sheath integrity was evaluated via immunofluorescence staining. RESULTS: CCL21 was significantly downregulated in endothelial cells after BCAS and CCL21 overexpression alleviated BCAS-induced cognitive deficits and demyelination. Furthermore, CCR7 was found to be mainly expressed in oligodendrocytes (OLs) after exposed to hypoxia and CCR7 silencing blocked the protective effects induced by CCL21 overexpression. Conclusions CCL21/CCR7 axis may play a key role in demyelination induced by BCAS. This might provide a novel therapeutic target for WML.

Gene Expression Profiling of Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells in Type 2 Diabetes: An Exploratory Study.

Background and Objectives: Visceral obesity is associated with chronic low-grade inflammation that predisposes to metabolic syndrome. Indeed, infiltration of adipose tissue with immune-inflammatory cells, including 'classical' inflammatory M1 and anti-inflammatory 'alternative' M2 macrophages, causes the release of a variety of bioactive molecules, resulting in the metabolic complications of obesity. This study examined the relative expression of macrophage phenotypic surface markers, cholesterol efflux proteins, scavenger receptors, and adenosine receptors in human circulating peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), isolated from patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), with the aim to phenotypically characterize and identify biomarkers for these ill-defined cells. Materials and Methodology: PBMCs were isolated from four groups of adults: Normal-weight non-diabetic, obese non-diabetic, newly diagnosed with T2DM, and T2DM on metformin. The mRNA expression levels of macrophage phenotypic surface markers (interleukin-12 (IL-12), C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10 (CXCL10), C-C motif chemokine ligand 17 (CCL17), and C-C motif receptor 7 (CCR7)), cholesterol efflux proteins (ATP-binding cassette transporter-1 (ABCA1), ATP binding cassette subfamily G member 1 (ABCG1), and sterol 27-hydroxylase (CYP27A)), scavenger receptors (scavenger receptor-A (SR-A), C-X-C motif ligand 16 (CXCL16), and lectin-like oxidized LDL receptor-1 (LOX-1)), and adenosine receptors (adenosine A2A receptor (A2AR) and adenosine A3 receptor (A3R)) were measured using qRT-PCR. Results: In PBMCs from T2DM patients, the expression of IL-12, CCR7, ABCA1, and SR-A1 was increased, whereas the expression of CXCL10, CCL17, ABCG1,27-hydroxylase, LOX-1, A2AR and A3R was decreased. On the other hand, treatment with the antidiabetic drug, metformin, reduced the expression of IL-12 and increased the expression of 27-hydroxylase, LOX-1, CXCL16 and A2AR. Conclusions: PBMCs in the circulation of patients with T2DM express phenotypic markers that are different from those typically present in adipose tissue M1 and M2 macrophages and could be representative of metabolically activated macrophages (MMe)-like cells. Our findings suggest that metformin alters phenotypic markers of MMe-like cells in circulation.

Bioinformatics and Experimental Analyses Reveal Immune-Related LncRNA-mRNA Pair AC011483.1-CCR7 as a Biomarker and Therapeutic Target for Ischemic Cardiomyopathy.

Ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM), which increases along with aging, is the leading cause of heart failure. Currently, immune response is believed to be critical in ICM whereas the roles of immune-related lncRNAs remain vague. In this study, we aimed to systematically analyze immune-related lncRNAs in the aging-related disease ICM. Here, we downloaded publicly available RNA-seq data from ischemic cardiomyopathy patients and non-failing controls (GSE116250). Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was performed to identify key ICM-related modules. The immune-related lncRNAs of key modules were screened by co-expression analysis of immune-related mRNAs. Then, a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network, including 5 lncRNAs and 13 mRNAs, was constructed using lncRNA-mRNA pairs which share regulatory miRNAs and have significant correlation. Among the lncRNA-mRNA pairs, one pair (AC011483.1-CCR7) was verified in another publicly available ICM dataset (GSE46224) and ischemic cell model. Further, the immune cell infiltration analysis of the GSE116250 dataset revealed that the proportions of monocytes and CD8+ T cells were negatively correlated with the expression of AC011483.1-CCR7, while plasma cells were positively correlated, indicating that AC011483.1-CCR7 may participate in the occurrence and development of ICM through immune cell infiltration. Together, our findings revealed that lncRNA-mRNA pair AC011483.1-CCR7 may be a novel biomarker and therapeutic target for ICM.

Effects of let-7a microRNA and C-C chemokine receptor type 7 expression on cellular function and prognosis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: C-C chemokine receptor type 7 (CCR7) participates in chemotactic and metastatic responses in various cancers, including in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). The microRNA (miRNA) let-7a suppresses migration and invasion of various types of cancer cells by downregulating CCR7 expression. METHODS: The expression levels of CCR7 and let-7a were measured in the cell lines, tumor, and peritumoral tissues of ESCC patients. KYSE cell lines were transfected with synthetic let-7a miRNA and a let-7a miRNA inhibitor, and their CCR7 expression levels as well as invasive ability were evaluated. A highly invasive cell line was established via an invasion assay, and CCR7 expression level along with let-7a level was subsequently evaluated. Cancer cells overexpressing CCR7 were injected subcutaneously into mice, and the animals were monitored for tumor growth along with lymph node metastasis. RESULTS: A negative correlation between CCR7 and let-7a expression was observed in the ESCC cell lines as well as in tissue samples from patients. Synthetic let-7a decreased CCR7 expression level, while the let-7a inhibitor increased it. In vitro, the established highly invasive cancer cells with high and low levels of CCR7 and let-7a expression, respectively, exhibited a greater invasive ability than the wild-type cell line. The cells were associated with tumor growth and lymph node metastasis in mice. Patients in the high-CCR7/low-let-7a group had the worst prognosis, with a five-year recurrence free survival (5-RFS) rate of 37.5%, followed by the high-CCR7/high-let-7a (5-RFS: 60.0%) and low-CCR7 (5-RFS: 85.7%; p = 0.038) groups. CONCLUSIONS: The expression of CCR7 was downregulated by let-7a miRNA in esophageal cancer cells. The decrease in let-7a expression level led to the increased expression level of CCR7 in ESCC cells, consequently increasing their invasive ability and malignancy and resulting in a worse prognosis for ESCC patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Retrospectively registered.

Identification of potential biomarkers and pathways associated with carotid atherosclerotic plaques in type 2 diabetes mellitus: A transcriptomics study.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) affects the formation of carotid atherosclerotic plaques (CAPs) and patients are prone to plaque instability. It is crucial to clarify transcriptomics profiles and identify biomarkers related to the progression of T2DM complicated by CAPs. Ten human CAP samples were obtained, and whole transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) was performed. Samples were divided into two groups: diabetes mellitus (DM) versus non-DM groups and unstable versus stable groups. The Limma package in R was used to identify lncRNAs, circRNAs, and mRNAs. Gene Ontology (GO) annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network creation, and module generation were performed for differentially expressed mRNAs. Cytoscape was used to create a transcription factor (TF)-mRNA regulatory network, lncRNA/circRNA-mRNA co-expression network, and a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network. The GSE118481 dataset and RT-qPCR were used to verify potential mRNAs.The regulatory network was constructed based on the verified core genes and the relationships were extracted from the above network. In total, 180 differentially expressed lncRNAs, 343 circRNAs, and 1092 mRNAs were identified in the DM versus non-DM group; 240 differentially expressed lncRNAs, 390 circRNAs, and 677 mRNAs were identified in the unstable versus stable group. Five circRNAs, 14 lncRNAs, and 171 mRNAs that were common among all four groups changed in the same direction. GO/KEGG functional enrichment analysis showed that 171 mRNAs were mainly related to biological processes, such as immune responses, inflammatory responses, and cell adhesion. Five circRNAs, 14 lncRNAs, 46 miRNAs, and 54 mRNAs in the ceRNA network formed a regulatory relationship. C22orf34-hsa-miR-6785-5p-RAB37, hsacirc_013887-hsa-miR-6785-5p/hsa-miR-4763-5p/hsa-miR-30b-3p-RAB37, MIR4435-1HG-hsa-miR-30b-3p-RAB37, and GAS5-hsa-miR-30b-3p-RAB37 may be potential RNA regulatory pathways. Seven upregulated mRNAs were verified using the GSE118481 dataset and RT-qPCR. The regulatory network included seven mRNAs, five circRNAs, six lncRNAs, and 14 TFs. We propose five circRNAs (hsacirc_028744, hsacirc_037219, hsacirc_006308, hsacirc_013887, and hsacirc_045622), six lncRNAs (EPB41L4A-AS1, LINC00969, GAS5, MIR4435-1HG, MIR503HG, and SNHG16), and seven mRNAs (RAB37, CCR7, CD3D, TRAT1, VWF, ICAM2, and TMEM244) as potential biomarkers related to the progression of T2DM complicated with CAP. The constructed ceRNA network has important implications for potential RNA regulatory pathways.

Identification of SLAMF1 as an immune-related key gene associated with rheumatoid arthritis and verified in mice collagen-induced arthritis model.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common inflammatory arthropathy. Immune dysregulation was implicated in the pathogenesis of RA. Thus, the aim of the research was to determine the immune related biomarkers in RA. Methods: We downloaded the gene expression data of RA in GSE89408 and GSE45291 from Gene Expression Omnibus public database (GEO). Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between RA and control groups. Infiltrating immune cells related genes were obtained by ssGSEA and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). We performed functional enrichment analysis of differentially expressed immunity-related genes (DEIRGs) by "clusterProfiler" R package, key genes screening by protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of DEIRGs. And mice collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) model was employed to verify these key genes. Results: A total of 1,885 up-regulated and 1,899 down-regulated DEGs were identified in RA samples. The ssGSEA analysis showed that the infiltration of 25 cells was significantly different. 603 immune related genes were obtained by WGCNA, and 270 DEIRGs were obtained by taking the intersection of DEGs and immune related genes. Enrichment analyses indicated that DEIRGs were associated with immunity related biological processes. 4 candidate biomarkers (CCR7, KLRK1, TIGIT and SLAMF1) were identified from the PPI network of DEIRGs and literature research.In mice CIA model, the immunohistochemical stain showed SLAMF1 has a significantly high expression in diseased joints. And flow cytometry analysis shows the expression of SLAMF1 on CIA mice-derived CTL cells, Th, NK cells, NKT cells, classical dendritic cell (cDCs) and monocytes/macrophages was also significantly higher than corresponding immune cells from HC mice. Conclusion: Our study identified SMLAF1 as a key biomarker in the development and progression of RA, which might provide new insight for exploring the pathogenesis of RA.

Site-Specific Polyplex on CCR7 Down-Regulation and T Cell Elevation for Lymphatic Metastasis Blocking on Breast Cancer.

Tumor metastasis contributes to high cancer mortality. Tumor cells in lymph nodes (LNs) are difficult to eliminate but underlie uncontrollable systemic metastasis. The CC chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7) is overexpressed in tumor cells and interacts with CC chemokine ligand 21 (CCL21) secreted from LNs, potentiating their lymphatic migration. Here, a site-specific polyplex is developed to block the CCR7-CCL21 signal and kill tumor cells toward LNs, greatly limiting their lymphatic infiltration. A CCR7-targeting small interfering RNA (siCCR7) is condensed by mPEG-poly-(lysine) with chlorin e6 (Ce6) modification (PPLC) to form PPLC/siCCR7. The knockdown of CCR7 by siCCR7 in tumor cells significantly reduced their response on CCL21 and LN tropism. Additionally, photodynamic therapy-mediated immune activation precisely targets and kills tumor cells released from the primary foci before they reaches the LNs, reducing the number of tumor cells entering the LNs. Consequently, the PPLC/siCCR7 polyplexes inhibited up to 92% of lung metastasis in 4T1 tumor bearing mice and reduced tumor cell migration to LNs by up to 80%. This site-specific strategy optimized anti-metastasis efficacy and promotes the clinical translational development of anti-metastatic therapy.