LRCH1 suppresses migration of CD4⁺ T cells and refers to disease activity in ulcerative colitis

Background: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronically remittent and progressive inflammatory disorder. LRCH1 is reported to be involved in the immune-regulation of several diseases. However, the exact roles of LRCH1 in UC are still obscure. Materials and Methods: LRCH1 expression was analyzed in the inflamed mucosa and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients with UC by quantitative RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. Peripheral blood CD4⁺ T cells were transfected with lentivirus-expressing LRCH1 (LV-LRCH1) or LV-sh-LRCH1, and cytokine expression was determined by using flow cytometry, quantitative RT-PCR and ELISA. Transfected CD4⁺ T cells were harvested to examine the capacity of chemotaxis using Transwell plate. Results: LRCH1 expression was highly decreased in colonic mucosa and PBMCs from patients with A-UC, and negatively correlated with disease activity. Up or down regulation of LRCH1 did not affect the differentiation of CD4⁺ T cells, and the related cytokines expression. Moreover, LRCH1 inhibited migratory capacity of CD4⁺ T cells toward CXCL12 by PKCα. Conclusion: LRCH1 plays an important role in the pathogenesis of UC, possibly through modulating the migration of CD4⁺ T cells. Therefore, targeting LRCH1 might serve as a novel therapeutic approach in the management of UC.