Abstract
Background and ObjectivesWe earlier reported elevated chemokine ligand-2 (CCL2) in Indian amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients. We now analysed chemokine receptor-2 (CCR2), the receptor of CCL2, in these ALS patients.MethodsIndian sporadic ALS patients (n = 50) were included on the basis of El Escorial criteria. Percentage (%) of CCR2 expressing peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was evaluated using Flow Cytometry. Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was used to quantitate CCR2 mRNA expression in PBMCs. Normal controls (n = 40) were also included for comparison.ResultsFlow Cytometry revealed significantly reduced CCR2 expressing PBMCs in the ALS patients. We also found a significant decline in number of CCR2 expressing PBMCs in limb onset ALS when compared to bulbar onset ALS. PBMCs from ALS patients showed substantial down-regulation of CCR2 mRNA. CCR2 mRNA expression was found to be decreased among limb ALS patients as compared to bulbar onset ALS. Further, the count of CCR2+ PBMCs and CCR2 mRNA transcript in PBMCs was significantly lower in severe and moderate ALS as compared to ALS patients with mild impairments.ConclusionsDownregulation of PBMCs CCR2 may indicate its etio-pathological relevance in ALS pathogenesis. Reduced PBMCs CCR2 may result in decreased infiltration of leukocytes at the site of degeneration as a compensatory response to ALS. CCR2 levels measurements in hematopoietic stem cells and estimation of comparative PBMCs count among ALS, disease controls and normal controls can unveil its direct neuroprotective role. However, the conclusions are restricted by the absence of neurological/non-neurological disease controls in the study.
Highlights
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by typical participation of inflammatory cascade
Studies have shown that cascade. Interaction of chemokine ligand-2 (CCL2) and chemokine receptor-2 (CCR2) knock out transgenic mouse exhibit reduced infiltration of blood mononuclear, natural killer cells and dendritic cells at the site of inflammation and these mice are resistant to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) [1,2]
Flow Cytometry analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and normal controls indicates a significant decrease in proportion of CCR2 expressing PBMCs in ALS patients than normal controls (Figure 1A–1D; p = 0.0001)
Summary
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by typical participation of inflammatory cascade. Studies have shown that CCL2 and CCR2 knock out transgenic mouse exhibit reduced infiltration of blood mononuclear, natural killer cells and dendritic cells at the site of inflammation and these mice are resistant to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) [1,2]. Elevated CCL2 levels in biofluids from ALS patients have been reported earlier [3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13]. We earlier reported elevated chemokine ligand-2 (CCL2) in Indian amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients. We analysed chemokine receptor-2 (CCR2), the receptor of CCL2, in these ALS patients
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