C-C chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7) is primarily expressed in immune cells, and CCR7 deficiency leads to the development of multi-organ autoimmunity, chronic renal disease and autoimmune diabetes.
Effector memory T lymphocytes (T<sub>EM</sub> cells) that lack expression of CCR7 are major drivers of inflammation in a number of autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.
CCR7 and its ligands CCL19 and CCL21 are a chemokine system related to mononuclear cell migration and antigen presentation, and are suggested to play a key role in several autoimmune disorders.
Our findings might provide new clues to understanding the functions of CCR7(+) CD8(+) CD45RO(+)'central' memory T cells in autoimmune diseases (such as SLE).