Increasing CCL5/CCR5 on CD4+ T cells in peripheral blood of oral lichen planus

• Published in: Cytokine (Philadelphia, Pa.) Pa.), 2013-04, Vol.62 (1), p.141-145
• Main Authors: Hu, Jing-Yu, Zhang, Jing, Cui, Ji-Li, Liang, Xue-Yi, Lu, Rui, Du, Ge-Fei, Xu, Xue-Yi, Zhou, Gang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; biomarkers; blood serum; CCL5; CCR5; CD4-positive T-lymphocytes; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - metabolism; Chemokine CCL5 - metabolism; chemokines; Cytokines; Female; flow cytometry; Humans; immune response; interferon-gamma; Interferon-gamma - blood; interleukin-2; Interleukin-2 - blood; interleukin-4; Interleukin-4 - blood; Lichen Planus, Oral - blood; Lichen Planus, Oral - genetics; Lichen Planus, Oral - immunology; Lichen Planus, Oral - pathology; Male; MicroRNAs - genetics; MicroRNAs - metabolism; Middle Aged; mouth diseases; mucosa; Oral lichen planus (OLP); patients; receptors; Receptors, CCR5 - metabolism; Severity of Illness Index; Signal Transduction; Th1 cells; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1043-4666; 1096-0023
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2013.01.020

► CCL5 and CCR5 contribute to the immune response of OLP. ► Th1-type cytokines in OLP perform as a magnifier for CCR5 expression. ► MicroRNA-125a is down-regulated, and negatively correlates with the severity of OLP. Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a T cell-mediated autoimmune disease of oral mucosa, in which T helper 1 (Th1) cells are greatly involved. Chemokine CCL5 is required for T cells infiltration and activation. CCR5, one of its receptors, specifically expressed on Th1 cells among CD4+ T cells, can be up-regulated by Th1 cytokines like interleukin2 (IL-2) and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), and down-regulated by Th2 cytokines like IL-4. The present study aimed to determine whether CCL5 and CCR5 had effects on the immune response of OLP. We analyzed the proportion of CCR5+CD4+ T cells in CD4+ T cells using flow cytometry and the serum levels of CCL5, IL-2, IFN-γ, and IL-4 with ELISA. MicroRNA-125a (miR-125a), a blocker of CCL5, was examined with RT-PCR. The results showed both the serum CCL5 and the percentage of CCR5+CD4+ T cells elevated in OLP patients. Serum IL-2 and IFN-γ increased in OLP patients, but IL-4 decreased. MiR-125a was down-regulated in OLP patients, and there was a negative correlation between miR-125a content and the OLP severity which was measured with a RAE (reticular, atrophic and erosive lesion) scoring system. In conclusion, increasing CCl5/CCR5 might participate in the immune response of OLP. Th1-type cytokines environment presented in OLP probably performed as a magnifier for the CCR5. Moreover, miR-125a might be a candidate biomarker to estimate the severity of OLP.