An emerging role for eotaxins in neurodegenerative disease
CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY
Authors: Huber, Amanda K.; Giles, David A.; Segal, Benjamin M.; Irani, David N.
Abstract
Eotaxins are C-C motif chemokines first identified as potent eosinophil chemoattractants. They facilitate eosinophil recruitment to sites of inflammation in response to parasitic infections as well as allergic and autoimmune diseases such as asthma, atopic dermatitis, and inflammatory bowel disease. The eotaxin family currently includes three members: eotaxin-1 (CCL11), eotaxin-2 (CCL24), and eotaxin-3 (CCL26). Despite having only similar to 30% sequence homology to one another, each was identified based on its ability to bind the chemokine receptor, CCR3. Beyond their role in innate immunity, recent studies have shown that CCL11 and related molecules may directly contribute to degenerative processes in the central nervous system (CNS). CCL11 levels increase in the plasma and cerebrospinal fluid of both mice and humans as part of normal aging. In mice, these increases are associated with declining neurogenesis and impaired cognition and memory. In humans, elevated plasma levels of CCL11 have been observed in Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington's disease, and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis when compared to age-matched, healthy controls. Since CCL11 is capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier of normal mice, it is plausible that eotaxins generated in the periphery may exert physiological and pathological actions in the CNS. Here, we briefly review known functions of eotaxin family members during innate immunity, and then focus on whether and how these molecules might participate in the progression of neurodegenerative diseases. (C) 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Genome-wide association replicates the association of Duffy antigen receptor for chemokines (DARC) polymorphisms with serum monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) levels in Hispanic children
CYTOKINE
Authors: Voruganti, V. Saroja; Laston, Sandra; Haack, Karin; Mehta, Nitesh R.; Smith, C. Wayne; Cole, Shelley A.; Butte, Nancy F.; Comuzzie, Anthony G.
Abstract
Obesity is associated with a chronic low inflammatory state characterized by elevated levels of chemokines. Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) is a member of the cysteine-cysteine (CC) chemokine family and is increased in obesity. The purpose of this study was to identify loci regulating serum MCP-1 in obese Hispanic children from the Viva La Familia Study. A genome-wide association (GWA) analysis was performed in 815 children, ages 4-19 years, using genotypes assayed with the Illumina HumanOmni1-Quad v1.0 BeadChips. All analyses were performed in SOLAR using a linear regression-based test under an additive model of allelic effect, while accounting for the relatedness of family members via a kinship variance component. The strongest association for MCP-1 levels was found with a non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), rs12075, resulting in an amino acid substitution (Asp42Gly) in the Duffy antigen receptor for chemokines (DARC) gene product (minor allele frequency = 43.6%, p = 1.3 x 10(-21)) on chromosome 1. Four other DARC SNPs were also significantly associated with MCP-1 levels (p < 10(-16)-10(-6)). The Asp42Gly variant was associated with higher levels of MCP-1 and accounted for approximately 10% of its variability. In addition, MCP-1 levels were significantly associated with SNPs in chemokine receptor 3 (CCR3) and caspase recruitment domain family, member 9 (CARD9). In summary, the association of the DARC Asp42Gly variant with MCP-1 levels replicates previous GWA results substantiating a potential role for DARC in the regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines. (c) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.