BackgroundInformation | CXCR3,achemokinereceptor,ishighlysimilartotheinterleukin8BreceptorandhasbeenshowntomediaterecruitmentofTcellstositesofinflammationandretentionofT-cellsintheinflamedCNS.CXCR3hasbeensuggestedtobetheprincipalinflammatorychemokinereceptorinvolvedinintrathecalaccumulationofT-cellsinmultiplesclerosisanddiabetes.ItisexpressedonmalignantBcellsinchroniclymphoproliferativedisorders(Jonesetal.,2000).Analternativelysplicedisoform,CXCR3B,hasrecentlybeenidentified(Lasagnietal.,2003).CXCR3expressionhasbeendocumentedinthebrain,lymphoidandotherperipheraltissues,andindiseasesincludingatherosclerosis,Alzheimer"s,multiplesclerosis,rheumatoidarthritis,lymphomas,asthma,neoplasms,leukemia,andinflammatoryconditionsofvariousorgans. |