| Objective: It is well-documented that both chemokine (C-C motif) ligand19(CCL19)and CCL21could mediate cell migration and angiogenesis in many diseases. However,their exact physical role in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) has not been described. Theobjective of this study was to examine the expression of chemokine CCL19andCCL21(CCL19/CCL21) AS in hip ligament tissue (LT) and describe theirpathological function.Methods: The level of CCL19/CCL21and their receptor CCR7in AS (n=31) andosteoarthritis (OA, n=21) LT were analyzed by Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction(RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC), respectively. The expression ofCCL19/CCL21and CCR7in AS ligament fibroblast was also identified. Theproliferation of ligament fibroblasts was measured with a Cell Counting Kit-8(CCK8)assay after the exogenous CCL19/CCL21treatment. Additionally, the role ofCCL19/CCL21on the osteogenic function was evaluated by RT-PCR andenzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in one identified AS fibroblast. And thebone marker such as: alkaline phosphatase (ALP), osteocalcin (OCN), collagenase I(COL1), integrin-binding sialoprotein (IBSP), key regulator runt-related transcriptionfactor-2(Runx-2) and osterix were investigated. Moreover, the CCL19/CCL21levelin serum and LT were measured by ELISA.Results: The mRNA levels of CCL19/CCL21in AS hip LT were significant higherthan that in osteoarthritis (OA), and the immunostaining showed a similar result. Theexogenous CCL19/CCL21could not affect the proliferation of ligament fibroblasts,but can significantly up-regulate the bone markers: ALP, OCN, key regulator Runx-2and osterix. In addition, the serum levels of CCL19/CCL21were apparently elevatedin AS patients compared to healthy controls (HC), and the two chemokine correlatedsignificantly in AS patients.Conclusion: CCL19/CCL21may be a promoter for ligament ossification and serumCCL19and CCL21are significantly associated, which indicates a synergistic effect inAS pathogenesis. |
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