Objective: This study aims to explore the chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7) expression of spleen dendritic cells (DCs) and their role in the changes of migration and activity of spleen DCs in multiple-organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS).
Methods: The MODS model of mice was reproduced. The mice were randomly assigned to the following groups: normal, three-hour to six-hour, 24-hour to 48-hour, and 10-day to 12-day post-zymosan injection. CD11c and CD205 were analysed by immunohistochemistry; the expressions of CD86 and CCR7 of DCs were studied using flow cytometry analyses.
Results: In normal mice, many DCs were found at the margin between the red and white pulp. In the three-hour to six-hour and 24-hour to 48-hour group, DC effectively upregulated CD86 and CCR7, and they were distributed in T- cell areas. In the 10-day to 12-day group, DCs were distributed at the margin by the immature form.
Conclusion: The CCR7 expression level of DCs had close correlations with the migration of DCs. Chemokine receptor 7 can be used to evaluate the migration and functional activity of DCs in MODS.