Expression of the Chemokine Receptor CXCR1 in Human Glomerular Diseases

Leukocyte infiltration, a hallmark of renal diseases, is orchestrated in part by the actions of chemokines. The chemokine CXCL8/interleukin (IL)-8 is expressed during renal diseases and allograft rejection, whereas the corresponding receptor CXCR1 has not been described previously. Expression of CXCR1 was characterized in peripheral blood using multicolor fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis (FACS). CXCR1 was localized in 81 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded renal specimens by immunohistochemistry using a monoclonal antibody against human CXCR1. Included were biopsies with crescentic glomerulonephritis (CGN, n = 22), immunoglobulin (Ig) A nephropathy (n = 15), membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN, n = 17), lupus nephritis (n = 12), membranous nephropathy (n = 11), and non-involved parts of tumor nephrectomies (n = 4). Consecutive tissue sections of human tonsils, allograft explants, and renal biopsies were stained for CD15- and CD68-positive cells. Expression of CXCR1 and CXCL8/IL-8 mRNA was quantified by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerse chain reaction of microdissected renal biopsies (n = 35) of the same disease entities. By FACS CXCR1 expression was found on polymorphonuclear CXCR1 expression by polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs), natural killer cells, and a subpopulation of monocytes. By immunohistochemistry, CXCR1 expression was found on infiltrating inflammatory cells (predominantly PMNs), as well as on intrinsic renal cells (arterial smooth muscle cells, endothelial cells of peritubular capillaries). The distribution pattern of CXCR1 differed between disease entities. The highest numbers of glomerular CXCR1-positive cells were present in biopsies with MPGN, followed by lupus nephritis, and CGN. CXCR1 might be involved in the recruitment of PMNs to the glomerular tuft, which could be targeted by CXCR1-blocking agents.