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Abstract: Chemokines are best known for their vital role in leukocyte chemotaxis, as part of the larger inflammatory response. Expression analysis and functional characterization of chemokines in mammalian species have often overlooked the role of these proteins under homeostatic conditions. Recent investigations of chemokine diversity in teleost fish have also centered on the immune-related functions of chemotactic cytokines, such as CXCL8 and CXCL10. While a disease-based approach to chemokines is essential to the development of remediative therapies for both human and animal infections, it may be a poor measure of the overall complexity of chemokine functions. As part of a larger effort to assess the conservation of chemokine diversity in teleost fish, we report here the identification of three novel, constitutively expressed CXC chemokines from channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus). Phylogenetic analyses indicated that two of the three CXC chemokines were orthologues for mammalian CXCL12 and CXCL14, respectively. Whereas a clear orthology could not yet be established for the third CXC chemokine, it shared highest amino acid identity with mammalian CXCL2. All three CXC chemokines show expression in a wide range of tissues, and early expression during development was observed for CXCL12. The expression of this new set of catfish CXC chemokines was not induced during challenge by infection of Edwardsiella ictaluri, the causative agent of the fish pathogen enteric septicemia of catfish. In contrast to the gene duplication of CXCL12 in carp and zebrafish, Southern blot analysis indicated that all three catfish CXC chemokines exist as single copy genes in the catfish genome suggesting that gene duplication of CXC chemokines in specific teleost fish was a recent evolutionary event. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Chemokines, a superfamily of chemotactic cytokines involved in recruitment, activation, and adhesion of a variety of leukocyte types to inflammatory foci, are a crucial component of the immune system of Sarcopterygiian vertebrates. Although all mammalian chemokines are believed to have been found, the status of these molecules in Actinopterygii was unknown until recently. The identification of chemokines in fish species has been complicated by low sequence conservation and confusion over expected numbers. Earlier discoveries of single fish chemokines coupled with rapidly expanding genetic resources in these species have recently provided a foundation for large-scale in silico discoveries of these important immune regulators. We report here the identification and expression analysis of 12 new CC chemokine sequences from catfish. When added to our previous report of 14 catfish CC chemokines, the number of CC chemokines in catfish now stands at 26, two more than known from humans. Establishing orthologous relationships among the majority of catfish CC chemokines, a newly available set of chicken CC chemokines, and their mammalian counterparts remain difficult, suggesting high levels of duplication and divergence within individual species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemokines represent a superfamily of chemotactic cytokines involved in recruitment, activation and adhesion of a variety of leukocyte types to inflammatory foci, as well as in the organization and maintenance of lymphoid organ architecture and in normal developmental processes. Nearly all chemokines have been identified in human and mouse, but only a handful of fish chemokines have been identified. Here we describe 14 distinct chemokines from channel catfish and blue catfish identified by analysis of 30,000 expressed sequence tags. Based on sequence analysis, sequence similarity, and the arrangement of the conserved cysteine residues, all 14 chemokines were identified as members of the CC subfamily. Phylogenetic analysis did not reveal clear evidence of orthology of the catfish and human or mouse chemokines. Similarity analysis indicated that nine of the 14 CC chemokines were identified for the first time in fish. The availability of this pool of catfish CC chemokines should facilitate rapid identification and phylogenetic analysis of CC chemokines from other fish and related species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Chemokines are a large family of chemotactic cytokines playing crucial roles in the innate immune response. CC chemokines constitute the largest subfamily of chemokines, with 28 CC chemokines identified from mammalian species. However, the status of CC chemokines in teleosts is yet to be determined. We previously identified 26 catfish CC chemokine cDNAs from catfish. In this study, we isolated and sequenced 23 channel catfish CC chemokine genes amounting to a total of over 56kb of genomic sequences. Genomic organization of the 23 CC chemokine genes was determined by comparing the generated genomic sequences with the previously identified cDNA sequences. Microsatellites were identified from 16 catfish CC chemokine genes allowing them to be utilized for genome mapping. Structural analysis indicated conservation of genomic organization of CC chemokine genes, which may facilitate the establishment of orthologies. Expression of all known catfish CC chemokine transcripts was assessed in nine important tissues. Of the 26 catfish CC chemokine genes, 14 were universally expressed, six were widely expressed in many tissues, while six were highly tissue-specific. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]