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CCL21/CCR7 signaling in macrophages promotes joint inflammation and Th17-mediated osteoclast formation in rheumatoid arthritis

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Abstract

In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), synovial tissue abundantly expresses CCL21, a chemokine strongly associated with RA susceptibility. In this study, we aimed to characterize the functional significance of CCL21/CCR7 signaling in different phases of RA pathogenesis. We determined that CCR7 is a hallmark of RA M1 synovial fluid (SF) macrophages, and its expression in RA monocytes and in vitro differentiated macrophages is closely associated with disease activity score (DAS28). In early stages of RA, monocytes infiltrate the synovial tissue. However, blockade of SF CCL21 or CCR7 prevents RA SF-mediated monocyte migration. CCR7 expression in the newly migrated macrophages can be accentuated by LPS and IFNγ and suppressed by IL-4 treatment. We also uncovered that CCL21 stimulation increases the number of M1-polarized macrophages (CD14+CD86+), resulting in elevated transcription of IL-6 and IL-23. These CCL21-induced M1 cytokines differentiate naïve T cells to Th17 cells, without affecting Th1 cell polarization. In the erosive stages of disease, CCL21 potentiates RA osteoclastogenesis through M1-driven Th17 polarization. Disruption of this intricate crosstalk, by blocking IL-6, IL-23, or IL-17 function, impairs the osteoclastogenic capacity of CCL21. Consistent with our in vitro findings, we establish that arthritis mediated by CCL21 expands the joint inflammation to bone erosion by connecting the differentiation of M1 macrophages with Th17 cells. Disease progression is further exacerbated by CCL21-induced neovascularization. We conclude that CCL21 is an attractive novel target for RA therapy, as blockade of its function may abrogate erosive arthritis modulated by M1 macrophages and Th17 cell crosstalk.

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Abbreviations

Ab:

Antibody

Ad-CCL21:

Recombinant adenovirus facilitating CCL21 expression

Ad-Ctrl:

Empty adenoviral vector

Arg1:

Arginase 1

BM:

Bone marrow

CIA:

Collagen-induced arthritis

DAS28:

Disease activity score (determined by 28 joint count)

DMARD:

Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs

GWAS:

Genome-wide association studies

HPF:

High-power field

IL:

Interleukin

NL:

Healthy donor

PB:

Peripheral blood

PBMC:

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells

RA:

Rheumatoid arthritis

SF:

Synovial fluid

ST:

Synovial tissue

TRAP:

Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase

VEGF:

Vascular endothelial growth factor

WB:

Western blot

WT:

Wild type

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported in part by awards from the Department of Veteran’s Affairs MERIT Award 1I01BX002286, the National Institutes of Health AR056099 and AR065778 and the National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF). We also want to thank the clinical staff at the Division of Rheumatology at UIC, who have aided us to inform and involve patients in our studies and enable us to pursue clinically relevant, translational research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA

    Katrien Van Raemdonck, Sadiq Umar, Karol Palasiewicz, Shiva Arami, Huan J. Chang & Shiva Shahrara

  2. Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, University of Illinois at Chicago, 840 S Wood Street, CSB Suite 1114, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA

    Katrien Van Raemdonck, Sadiq Umar, Karol Palasiewicz, Suncica Volkov, Shiva Arami, Huan J. Chang, Nadera Sweiss & Shiva Shahrara

  3. Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Midwestern University, Downers Grove, IL, USA

    Michael V. Volin & Brian Zanotti

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  1. Katrien Van Raemdonck
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  4. Suncica Volkov
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Correspondence to Shiva Shahrara.

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Van Raemdonck, K., Umar, S., Palasiewicz, K. et al. CCL21/CCR7 signaling in macrophages promotes joint inflammation and Th17-mediated osteoclast formation in rheumatoid arthritis. Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 77, 1387–1399 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00018-019-03235-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00018-019-03235-w

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