Upregulation of chemokine receptor CCR10 is essential for glioma proliferation, invasion and patient survival

Human gliomas are characterized by their invasion of normal brain structures irrespective of their grade of malignancy. Tumor cell invasion share many similarities with leukocyte trafficking, which is critically regulated by chemokines and their receptors. Here we report that the chemokine receptor CCR10 is highly expressed in human glioblastoma compared with control brain tissue. In vitro, signaling through CCL27-CCR10 mediates activation of p-Akt, and subsequently induces proliferation and invasive responses. Cell proliferation and invasion promoted by CCL27 were blocked by inhibition of p-Akt or CCR10. In vivo, down-regulation of CCR10 significantly impairs growth of glioma. Clinically, High CCR10 expression in GBM correlated with p-Akt, shorter overall survival and progression-free survival (P < 0.05). Together, these findings suggest that elevated CCR10 is a critical molecular event associated with gliomagenesis.