Figure 5
Chemerin inhibits systemic MDSC accumulation and the expression of GM-CSF and IL-6 in HCC-bearing mice. (a) Representative flow cytometry data and averaged percentages of MDSCs in blood and spleen of HCC-bearing WT or Rarres2−/− mice (upper) and WT mice implanted with Ctrl-Hepa1-6 cells or chemerin-Hepa1-6 cells (lower) in orthotopic HCC model. (b) Quantitative reverse transcriptase (qRT)–PCR analysis of the expression of inflammatory genes that are responsible for MDSC biology in orthotopic HCC tissues from WT or Rarres2−/− mice (upper) and WT mice implanted with Ctrl-Hepa1-6 cells or chemerin-Hepa1-6 cells (lower). (c) The serum concentration of chemerin in each HCC patient was plotted against concentrations of IL-6 or GM-CSF in serum from the same patient. A Pearson correlation was used to evaluate the association of chemerin and of IL-6 or GM-CSF. Columns and error bars represent mean±s.e.m. (n=5–8 per group). *P<0.05, **P<0.01, ***P<0.001. Similar results were obtained from three independent experiments in a and b.
