Lexicon
CXCL9
Also known as MIG
Definition
CXCL9 is the chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 9, also called monokine induced by interferon-gamma (MIG). [1] [2] It belongs to a group of three closely related chemokines, CXCL9, CXCL10 and CXCL11, that lack the glutamic acid-leucine-arginine (ELR) motif and are more closely related to each other than to any other chemokine, signalling through their shared receptor CXCR3. [3] Its production is strongly induced by interferon-gamma, the most typical T-helper-1 (Th1) cytokine, so that CXCL9 expression correlates with the tissue infiltration of T cells. [3]
How it works
Under the influence of interferon-gamma, cells such as epithelial cells and alveolar macrophages secrete CXCL9/MIG, which recruits CXCR3-expressing Th1 lymphocytes and creates an amplification feedback loop that perpetuates the autoimmune or inflammatory process by inducing further interferon-gamma. [4] In the interferon-gamma / CXCL9-CXCL10 / CXCR3 signalling axis, these chemokines mediate the recruitment of cytotoxic CXCR3+ CD8+ T cells to target tissue, a mechanism characterised in vitiligo where the recruited T cells execute melanocytes. [5] CXCL9 is among the pro-inflammatory chemokines released by classically activated (M1) macrophages, alongside CXCL10 and cytokines such as TNF-alpha, IL-1beta and IL-6. [6]
Connected concepts
What levels mean
In sarcoidosis, high levels of CXCL9/MIG are found in bronchoalveolar lavage and biopsy samples and serum levels correlate with the severity and clinical course of the disease, illustrating its use as a biomarker of disease activity. [2] In Crohn's disease, serum MIG levels reflect disease activity and have been proposed as a marker of responsiveness to treatment. [7] As a noninvasive marker, the urinary CXCL9-to-creatinine ratio has been reported to show high sensitivity and specificity with defined thresholds for diagnosing acute tubulointerstitial nephritis, although such biomarkers still require further validation. [8]
Community knowledge
## Biomarker Rationale CXCL9 is a chemokine proposed as a leading candidate biomarker of inflammaging -- a predictor of multimorbidity,…
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- 1.Ragusa F. Dermatomyositis and MIG. Clin Ter · 2019
- 2.Ragusa F. Sarcoidosis and the Th1 chemokine MIG. Clin Ter · 2018
- 3.Koper OM, Kamińska J, Sawicki K, Kemona H. CXCL9, CXCL10, CXCL11, and their receptor (CXCR3) in neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. Adv Clin Exp Med · 2018
- 4.Ruffilli I. Sjögren syndrome and MIG. Clin Ter · 2019
- 5.Liu H, Wang Y, Le Q, Tong J, Wang H. The IFN-γ-CXCL9/CXCL10-CXCR3 axis in vitiligo: Pathological mechanism and treatment. Eur J Immunol · 2024
- 6.Arabpour M, Saghazadeh A, Rezaei N. Anti-inflammatory and M2 macrophage polarization-promoting effect of mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes.
Community discussion
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