Adhesion molecule phenotype of T lymphocytes in inflamed CNS

• Published in: Journal of neuroimmunology 1998-04, Vol.84 (1), p.92-104
• Main Authors: Engelhardt, Britta, Martin-Simonet, Marie-Thérèse G, Rott, Lusijah S, Butcher, Eugene C, Michie, Sara A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Cell adhesion molecules; Cell Adhesion Molecules - metabolism; Central nervous system; Central Nervous System - immunology; Central Nervous System - metabolism; E-Selectin - metabolism; Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental - immunology; Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental - metabolism; Endothelium; Inflammation; L-Selectin - metabolism; Lymphocyte; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mice, Inbred C3H; P-Selectin - metabolism; Phenotype; T-Lymphocytes - metabolism
• ISSN: 0165-5728; 1872-8421
• DOI: 10.1016/S0165-5728(97)00237-3

The phenotype of T cells in the central nervous system (CNS) in two models of chronic inflammation (experimental allergic encephalomyelitis and Corynebacterium parvum-induced inflammation) was compared to that of T cells in gut and chronically inflamed subcutaneous tissue and lung. CNS T cells display a similar phenotype in both inflammatory models, and are phenotypically unique compared to T cells from the other inflamed tissues. T cells from inflamed CNS are mainly CD4 + and are the only population examined that express a typical activated/memory phenotype: CD44 high/LFA-1 high/ICAM-1 high/CD45RB low. The CNS T cells are α 4 β 7-integrin negative, but express α 4-integrin and activated β 1 integrin, suggesting expression of the α 4 β 1-heterodimer in an activated state. In contrast, most T cells in gut express low levels of activated β 1 integrin. The CNS T cells lack expression of α 6 and α E integrin chains and L-selectin. In inflamed CNS and inflamed subcutaneous tissue, approximately 50% of T cells express high affinity ligands for P-selectin while fewer than 10% express high affinity ligands for E-selectin. In summary, our data show that, independent of the inflammatory stimulus, T cells recruited into the inflamed CNS are phenotypically distinct from T cells in other inflamed tissues. This finding leads us to hypothesize the existence of a phenotypically distinct `CNS-seeking' T lymphocyte population.