The Role of Soluble CD163 (sCD163) in Human Physiology and Pathophysiology
Andriana Plevriti,
Margarita Lamprou,
Eleni Mourkogianni,
Nikolaos Skoulas,
Maria Giannakopoulou,
Md Sanaullah Sajib,
Zhiyong Wang,
George Mattheolabakis,
Antonios Chatzigeorgiou,
Antonia Marazioti,
Constantinos M. Mikelis
Affiliations
Andriana Plevriti
Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacy, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
Margarita Lamprou
Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacy, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
Eleni Mourkogianni
Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacy, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
Nikolaos Skoulas
Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacy, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
Maria Giannakopoulou
Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacy, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
Md Sanaullah Sajib
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX 79106, USA
Zhiyong Wang
Stomatology Hospital, School of Stomatology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Research of Zhejiang Province, Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310006, China
George Mattheolabakis
School of Basic Pharmaceutical and Toxicological Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Louisiana Monroe, Monroe, LA 71201, USA
Antonios Chatzigeorgiou
Department of Physiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Str., 11527 Athens, Greece
Antonia Marazioti
Basic Sciences Laboratory, Department of Physiotherapy, School of Health Sciences, University of Peloponnese, 23100 Sparta, Greece
Constantinos M. Mikelis
Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacy, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
Soluble CD163 (sCD163) is a circulating inflammatory mediator, indicative of acute and chronic, systemic and non-systemic inflammatory conditions. It is the cleavage outcome, consisting of almost the entire extracellular domain, of the CD163, a receptor expressed in monocytic lineages. Its expression is proportional to the abundance of CD163+ macrophages. Various mechanisms trigger the shedding of the CD163 receptor or the accumulation of CD163-expressing macrophages, inducing the sCD163 concentration in the circulation and bodily fluids. The activities of sCD163 range from hemoglobin (Hb) scavenging, macrophage marker, decoy receptor for cytokines, participation in immune defense mechanisms, and paracrine effects in various tissues, including the endothelium. It is an established marker of macrophage activation and thus participates in many diseases, including chronic inflammatory conditions, such as atherosclerosis, asthma, and rheumatoid arthritis; acute inflammatory conditions, such as sepsis, hepatitis, and malaria; insulin resistance; diabetes; and tumors. The sCD163 levels have been correlated with the severity, stage of the disease, and clinical outcome for many of these conditions. This review article summarizes the expression and role of sCD163 and its precursor protein, CD163, outlines the sCD163 generation mechanisms, the biological activities, and the known underlying molecular mechanisms, with an emphasis on its impact on the endothelium and its contribution in the pathophysiology of human diseases.
