Chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 22 is down-regulated in a human B lymphoblastoid cell line by PCB153 and in residents from PCBs-contaminated areas

摘要

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are ubiquitous, persistent pollutants found in the environment and human tissues. Exposure to PCBs is of great concern to human health because they are known to cause neurological, reproductive, endocrinal, and other effects. The aim of the present study was to find some novel gene markers induced by PCBs through a combination of microarray screening followed by validating with quantitative real time PCR in vitro and in population investigation. In the present study, gene expression profiles of human B lymphoblastoid cells treated with different concentrations of non-coplanar 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (PCB153) were analyzed using microarray. The differentially expressed genes were further confirmed by real-time PCR in vitro and in individuals from PCBs-contaminated sites. Our results indicated an overlap of 15 differentially expressed genes among samples treated with different concentrations of PCB153, and six of them were selected for validating with qRT-PCR. Two up-regulated genes (CCDC92 and TMEM175) and three down-regulated genes (CCL22, GZMK, and STK38L) were further confirmed by qRT-PCR in vitro. The expression levels of CCL22 in individuals from PCBs-contaminated sites were significantly (P< 0.05) lower than those in controls. Therefore, CCL22 seems to be a sensitive gene marker induced by PCBs, although it needs to be confirmed by further studies with a larger number of subjects.