CXCL13

Chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 13 (CXCL13) is a small cytokine belonging to the CXC chemokine family that is also known as B lymphocyte chemoattractant (BLC). As its name suggests, this chemokine is selectively chemotactic for B cells belonging to both the B-1 and B-2 subsets, and elicits its effects by interacting with chemokine receptor CXCR5.^[1][2] CXCL13 and its receptor CXCR5 control the organization of B cells within follicles of lymphoid tissues.^[3] This chemokine is secreted by dendritic cells, ^[4] and is expressed highly in the liver, spleen, lymph nodes, and gut of humans.^[5] The gene for CXCL13 is located on human chromosome 4 in a cluster of other CXC chemokines.^[6]

In T-lymphocytes, CXCL13 expression is thought to reflect a germinal center origin of the T-cell. Hence, expression of CXCL13 in T-cell lymphomas, such as Angioimmunoblastic T-cell Lymphoma, is thought to reflect a germinal center origin of the neoplastic T-cells.^[7]

References

1. ^ Ansel, K. M.; Harris, R. B. S.; Cyster, J. G. CXCL13 is required for B1 cell homing, natural antibody production, and body cavity immunity. Immunity 16: 67-76, 2002. PubMed ID : 11825566
2. ^ Legler, D. F.; Loetscher, M.; Roos, R. S.; Clark-Lewis, I.; Baggiolini, M.; Moser, B. B cell-attracting chemokine 1, a human CXC chemokine expressed in lymphoid tissues, selectively attracts B lymphocytes via BLR1/CXCR5. J. Exp. Med. 187: 655-660, 1998. PubMed ID : 9463416
3. ^ Ansel, K. M.; Ngo, V. N.; Hyman, P. L.; Luther, S. A.; Forster, R.; Sedgwick, J. D.; Browning, J. L.; Lipp, M.; Cyster, J. G. A chemokine-driven positive feedback loop organizes lymphoid follicles. Nature 406: 309-314, 2000. PubMed ID : 10917533
4. ^ Vissers JL, Hartgers FC, Lindhout E, Figdor CG, Adema GJ. BLC (CXCL13) is expressed by different dendritic cell subsets in vitro and in vivo. Eur J Immunol. 2001 May;31(5):1544-9. PMID: 11465112
5. ^ Legler D.F., Loetscher M., Stuber Roos R., Clark-Lewis I., Baggiolini M., Moser B.; B cell-attracting chemokine 1, a human CXC chemokine expressed in lymphoid tissues, selectively attracts B lymphocytes via BLR1/CXCR5. J. Exp. Med. 187:655-660, 1998. PubMed : 9463416
6. ^ Gunn, M. D.; Ngo, V. N.; Ansel, K. M.; Ekland, E. H.; Cyster, J. G.; Williams, L. T. A B-cell-homing chemokine made in lymphoid follicles activates Burkitt's lymphoma receptor-1. Nature 391: 799-803, 1998. PubMed ID : 9486651
7. ^ de Leval et al., The gene expression profile of nodal peripheral T-cell lymphoma demonstrates a molecular link between angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) and follicular helper T cells (TFH). Blood. 2007 Feb 6; [Epub ahead of print]

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