Heterogeneity of Endothelial Cells from Different Organ Sites in T-Cell Subset Recruitment

• Published in: The American journal of pathology Vol. 162; no. 5; pp. 1591 - 1601
• Main Authors: Lim, Yaw-Chyn, Garcia-Cardena, Guillermo, Allport, Jennifer R., Zervoglos, Mandy, Connolly, Andrew J., Gimbrone, Michael A., Luscinskas, Francis W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bethesda, MD Elsevier Inc 01.05.2003; ASIP; American Society for Investigative Pathology
• Subjects: Animals; Atherosclerosis (general aspects, experimental research); Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers - analysis; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Cardiology. Vascular system; Cell Adhesion Molecules - analysis; Cell Culture Techniques - methods; Endothelium, Vascular - drug effects; Endothelium, Vascular - immunology; Flow Cytometry; Heart; Male; Medical sciences; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Inbred Strains; Myocarditis. Cardiomyopathies; Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 - analysis; Regular; Th1 Cells - immunology; Th2 Cells - immunology; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - pharmacology; Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 - analysis; Immunohistochemistry; Cell culture; Endothelial cell; Cardiomyopathy; Pathogenesis; Cardiovascular disease; Helper cell; Myocardial disease; Recruitment; Vascular disease; Heterogeneity; Heart disease; Atherosclerosis; T-Lymphocyte; Rodentia; Inflammation; In vitro; Myocarditis; Pathology; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Mouse; Animal; Molecular biology; Organ
• ISSN: 0002-9440; 1525-2191
• DOI: 10.1016/S0002-9440(10)64293-9

Chemokines and adhesion molecules play a critical role in the recruitment of leukocytes into specific organ sites. Little is known, however, regarding the repertoire of chemokines and adhesion molecules expressed within different vascular beds. In this study, we compare adhesion molecule expression, chemokine induction, and T-cell subset-endothelial interactions under defined flow conditions on resting and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α-activated murine lung endothelial cells (MLECs) and heart endothelial cells (MHECs). Our study revealed that only MHECs exhibited high constitutive VCAM-1 expression. Exposure to TNF-α up-regulated adhesion molecule expression and chemokine production in both MLECs and MHECs. However, high levels of Regulated on Activation Normal T cell Expressed And Secreted (RANTES) expression were detected only in TNF-α-activated MHECs. TNF-α-stimulated MLECs and MHECs both supported T-helper cell interactions under defined flow conditions. Most T cells instantaneously arrested on MHECs but exhibited a rolling phenotype on MLECs. Blocking studies revealed that T-cell arrest on MHECs was mediated by constitutive VCAM-1 and TNF-α-induced RANTES. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that functional heterogeneity of endothelial cells from different sites exists and some of it is retained in vitro . Furthermore, these results provide an insight into the molecular mechanisms that may mediate T-helper cell recruitment to these organs.