Expression of interleukin-17RC protein in normal human tissues

Background: Interleukin-17 (IL-17) cytokines and receptors play an important role in many autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. IL-17 receptors IL-17RA and IL-17RC have been found to form a heterodimer for mediating the signals of IL-17A and IL-17F cytokines. While the function and signaling pathway of IL-17RA has been revealed, IL-17RC has not been well characterized. The function and signaling pathway of IL-17RC remain largely unknown. The purpose of the present study was to systematically examine IL-17RC protein expression in 53 human tissues.

Results: IL-17RC expression in 51 normal human tissues and two benign tumors (i.e., lymphangioma and parathyroid adenoma) on the tissue microarrays was determined by immunohistochemical staining, using two polyclonal Antibodies against IL-17RC. IL-17RC protein was expressed in many cell types including the myocardial cells, vascular and lymphatic endothelial cells, glandular cells (of the adrenal, parathyroid, pituitary, thyroid, pancreas, parotid salivary, and subepidermal glands), epithelial cells (of the esophagus, stomach, intestine, anus, renal tubule, breast, cervix, Fallopian tube, epididymis, seminal vesicle, prostate, gallbladder, bronchus, lung, and skin), oocytes in the ovary, Sertoli cells in the testis, motor neurons in the spinal cord, autonomic ganglia and nerves in the intestine, skeletal muscle cells, adipocytes, articular chondrocytes, and synovial cells. High levels of IL-17RC protein expression were observed in most vascular and lymphatic endothelium and squamous epithelium. The epithelium of the breast, cervix, Fallopian tube, kidney, bladder and bronchus also expressed high levels of IL-17RC, so did the glandular cells in the adrenal cortex, parotid salivary and subepidermal glands. In contrast, IL-17RC protein was not detectable in the smooth muscle cells, fibroblasts, antral mucosa of the stomach, mucosa of the colon, endometrium of the uterus, neurons of the brain, hepatocytes, or lymphocytes. Nevertheless, IL-17RC protein was expressed in the vascular endothelium within the tissues where the IL-17RC-negative cells resided.

Conclusion: IL-17RC protein is expressed in most human tissues, the function of which warrants further investigation.