Abstract: To study the role of CC chemokine ligand-20(CCL20)and dendritic cells(DCs) in the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and the influence of anti-rat CCL20 antibody treatment on the expressions of surface factors of DCs in peripheral blood and brochoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF). Methods  48 Wistar rats were randomly divided into control group(n=16)，COPD model group(n=16) and CCL20 inhibited model group(n=16).The rat COPD models were established via cigarette inhalation about for  4 weeks and intratracheal administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) solution twice totally.The patholgical changes of rat lung tissues in three groups were observed with HE staining.The CCL20 contents in peripheral blood and BALF of rats in three groups were detected with ELISA.The percentages of CD80,CD86,OX-62 and MHC-Ⅱ of DCs were analyzed by FCM.Results  The HE staining results suggested that there were airway inflammation and development of emphysema of rats in COPD group and CCL20 inhibited model  group,but they  were reduced in latter group.compared with control group,the contents of CCL20 in BALF and peripheral blood in COPD group and CCL20　inhibited model group were significantly increased（P<0.05）;compared with COPD group,the content of CCL20 in BALF of rats in CCL20 inhibited model group was decreased（P<0.05）,but the content of CCL20 in peripheral blood had no change.Compared with control group,the percentages of CD80,CD86 and OX-62 in peripheral blood of rats in COPD group were increased（P<0.05);compared  with COPD group, the percentages of CD80 and OX-62 of rats in CCL20 inhibited model group were decreased（P<0.05）.Compared with control group,the percentages of CD80 and CD86 in BALF of rats in COPD group and CCL20 inhibited model group were increased（P<0.05）;compared  with COPD group, the percentage of CD80 in CCL20 inhibited model group was decreased（P<0.05）.Conclusion CCL20 may be involved in the pathogenesis of COPD,anti-rat CCL20 antibody may play a inhibitory effect in this pathogenesis,it can decrease the number of DCs in the peripheral blood and  the airway of COPD,and the downgulation of DCs may  help to reduce the systemic inflammatory response of COPD.

Key words: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, dendritic cells, chemokines, CC chemokine ligand-20