Functional evidence that the HECA-452 antigen is involved in the adhesion of human neutrophils and lymphocytes to tumour necrosis factor-α-stimulated endothelial cells

• Published in: Immunology 1994-03, Vol.81 (3), p.359-365
• Main Authors: DE BOER, O. J, HORST, E, PALS, S. T, BOS, J. D, DAS, P. K
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antibodies, Monoclonal - immunology; Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; Antigens, Neoplasm - analysis; Antigens, Neoplasm - immunology; Biological and medical sciences; Cell Adhesion - immunology; Cells, Cultured; Endothelium, Vascular - immunology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fundamental immunology; Humans; Immunobiology; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Lymphocytes - immunology; Membrane Glycoproteins; Myeloid cells: ontogeny, maturation, markers, receptors; Neutrophils - immunology; Polynuclears; Skin - immunology; Skin Diseases - immunology; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - immunology
• ISSN: 0019-2805; 1365-2567

The migration of leucocytes into tissues is a process mediated by leucocyte endothelial interactions, in which adhesion receptors play a crucial role. Recently, it was found that 80-90% of T cells in inflammatory skin diseases were reactive to the monoclonal antibody (mAb) HECA-452+ in contrast to inflamed non-cutaneous tissues. It was suggested that the HECA-452 antigen is a homing receptor for lymphocyte migration into skin. This receptor was designated cutaneous lymphocyte-associated antigen or CLA and subsequently identified as a group of related sugar moieties. E-selectin, formerly known as ELAM-1 expressed by the endothelium has been implicated to be a counter-receptor for CLA. In this study, we investigated the adhesion of HECA-452+ leucocytes, i.e. freshly isolated neutrophils and B-cell line BV173 to tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)-stimulated (E-selectin+) endothelial cells. We found that the adhesion of these cells could be inhibited significantly by mAb HECA-452, in a similar fashion to CSLEX1, a mAb specific for E-selectin ligand sialyl Lewisx. This inhibiting effect of both mAb on the adhesion of polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN) and BV173 could only be demonstrated when the assay was performed at 4 degrees, but not at 37 degrees. Furthermore, using immunohistochemical analysis we found that the mAb HECA-452-reactive epitope is different from that recognized by CSLEX1. The present results give direct evidence that the antigen recognized by HECA-452 is involved in the adhesion of leucocytes to endothelial cells, although this antigenic epitope is different from that reactive to CSLEX1.