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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Uridine catabolism in Kupffer cells, endothelial cells, and hepatocytes.

Kupffer cells, endothelial cells, and hepatocytes were separated by centrifugal elutriation. The rate of uracil formation from [2-14C]uridine, the first step in uridine catabolism, was monitored in suspensions of the three different liver cell types. Kupffer cells demonstrated the highest rate of uridine phosphorolysis. 15 min after the addition of the nucleoside the label in uracil amounted to 51%, 13%, and 19% of total radioactivity in the medium of Kupffer cells, endothelial cells, and hepatocytes, respectively. If corrected for Kupffer cell contamination, hepatocyte suspensions demonstrated similar activities as endothelial cells. In contrast to non-parenchymal cells, hepatocytes continuously cleared uracil from the incubation medium. The lack of uracil consumption by Kupffer cells and endothelial cells points to uracil as the end-product of uridine catabolism in these cells. Kupffer cells and endothelial cells did not produce radioactive CO2 upon incubation in the presence of [2-14C]uridine. Hepatocytes, however, were able to degrade uridine into CO2, beta-alanine, and ammonia as demonstrated by active formation of volatile radioactivity from the labeled nucleoside. There was almost no detectable formation of thymine from thymidine or of cytosine, uracil, or uridine from cytidine by any of the different cell types tested. These results are in line with low thymidine phosphorolysis and cytidine deamination in rat liver. Our studies suggest a co-operation of Kupffer cells, endothelial cells, and hepatocytes in the breakdown of uridine from portal vein blood with uridine phosphorolysis predominantly occurring in Kupffer cells and with uracil catabolism restricted to parenchymal liver cells.

Animals↗

Capsular polysaccharide types 5 and 8 of Staphylococcus aureus bind specifically to human epithelial (KB) cells, endothelial cells, and monocytes and induce release of cytokines.

In order to examine the possible implication of capsular polysaccharide (CP) types 5 and 8 (CP5 and CP8) from Staphylococcus aureus in the pathological mechanism associated with staphylococcal infections, we tested the immunomodulatory effects of CP5 and CP8 on human epithelial KB cells, endothelial cells, and monocytes. Using biotinylated CP5 and CP8, we provide evidence that both CPs bind to KB cells, endothelial cells, and monocytes in a dose- and calcium-dependent manner through specific interactions. These results were confirmed by competition experiments using soluble cell extracts. Furthermore, we show that CPs bind to identical cell membrane receptors on all three types of human cells and that human normal serum contains a factor(s) which inhibits the binding of both CPs to human KB cells, endothelial cells, and monocytes. The ability of CP5 and CP8 to stimulate the production of cytokines by the human cells was then examined. CP5 and CP8 trigger KB cells to produce interleukin-8 (IL-8); endothelial cells to produce IL-8 and IL-6; and monocytes to produce IL-8, IL-6, IL-1 beta, and tumor necrosis factor alpha. The release of cytokines by all three types of cells is time dependent and dose dependent, and the tumor necrosis factor alpha production by monocytes is not affected by the addition of polymyxin B. We further confirm that human normal serum inhibits the immunomodulatory effects of both polysaccharides on each kind of cell. These results confirm that S. aureus CPs act as bacterial adhesins having immunomodulatory effects for human cells.

Bacterial Adhesion↗

The homophilic binding of junctional adhesion molecule-C mediates tumor cell-endothelial cell interactions.

The junctional adhesion molecule C (JAM-C) was recently shown to undergo a heterophilic interaction with the leukocyte beta2 integrin Mac-1, thereby mediating interactions between vascular cells in inflammatory cell recruitment. Here, the homophilic interaction of JAM-C is presented and functionally characterized to mediate tumor cell-endothelial cell interactions. Recombinant soluble JAM-C in fluid phase bound to immobilized JAM-C as assessed in a purified system; moreover, JAM-C-transfected Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells adhered to immobilized JAM-C. The homophilic interaction of JAM-C was mediated by the isolated amino-terminal Ig domain (D1), but not the carboxyl-terminal Ig domain (D2), of the molecule. Dimerization of JAM-A is dependent on the sequence RVE in the amino-terminal Ig domain. This motif is conserved in JAM-C (Arg64-Ile65-Glu66), and a single amino acid mutation in this motif (E66R) abolished the homophilic interaction of JAM-C. The lung carcinoma cell line NCI-H522 was found to express JAM-C. NCI-H522 cells adhered to immobilized JAM-C, as well as to JAM-C-transfected CHO cells, but not to mock-transfected CHO cells or to CHO cells transfected with the JAM-C mutant (E66R). Adhesion of NCI-H522 cells to JAM-C protein or JAM-C-transfected CHO cells was abolished in the presence of soluble JAM-C or the isolated D1. Furthermore, the adhesion of NCI-H522 cells to endothelial cells was significantly blocked by soluble JAM-C or the isolated D1. Thus, JAM-C undergoes a homophilic interaction via the Arg64-Ile65-Glu66 motif on the membrane-distal Ig domain of the molecule. The homophilic interaction of JAM-C can mediate tumor cell-endothelial cell interactions and may thereby be involved in the process of tumor cell metastasis.

Amino Acid Motifs↗

Circulating endothelial cells, endothelial progenitor cells, and endothelial microparticles in cancer.

Cancer, a proliferative disease hallmarked by abnormal cell growth and spread, is largely dependent on tumor neoangiogenesis, with evidence of vascular endothelial dysfunction. Novel ways to assess vascular function in cancer include measuring levels of circulating endothelial cells (CEC). Rare in healthy individuals, increased CEC in peripheral blood reflects significant vascular damage and dysfunction. They have been documented in many human diseases, including different types of cancers. An additional circulating cell population are endothelial progenitor cells (EPC), which have the ability to form endothelial colonies in vitro and may contribute toward vasculogenesis. At present, there is great interest in evaluating the role of EPC as novel markers for tumor angiogenesis and drug therapy monitoring. Recently, exocytic procoagulant endothelial microparticles (EMP) have also been identified. CEC, EPC, and EMP research works may have important clinical implications but are often impeded by methodological issues and a lack of consensus on phenotypic identification of these cells and particles. This review aims to collate existing literature and provide an overview on the current position of CEC, EPC, and EMP in cell biology terms and to identify their significance to clinical medicine, with particular emphasis on relationship with cancer.

Apoptosis↗

Oxidative stress promotes blood cell-endothelial cell interactions in the microcirculation.

Oxidative stress occurs when the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) exceeds the capacity of the cell to detoxify these potentially injurious oxidants using endogenous antioxidant defense systems. Conditions associated with oxidative stress include ischemia/reperfusion, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, and hypertension. The adhesion of circulating blood cells (leukocytes, platelets) to vascular endothelium is a key element of the pro-inflammatory and prothrombogenic phenotype assumed by the vasculature in these and other disease states that are associated with an oxidative stress. There is a growing body of evidence that links the blood cell endothelial cell interactions in these conditions to the enhanced production of ROS. Potential enzymatic sources of ROS within the microcirculation include xanthine oxidase, NAD(P)H oxidase, and nitric oxide synthase. ROS can promote a pro-inflammatory/prothrombogenic phenotype within the microvasculature by a variety of mechanisms, including the inactivation of nitric oxide, the activation of redox-sensitive transcription factors (e.g., nuclear factor-kappaB) that govern the expression of endothelial cell adhesion molecules (e.g., P-selectin), and the activation of enzymes (e.g., phospholipase A(2)) that produce leukocyte-stimulating inflammatory mediators (e.g., platelet-activating factor). The extensively documented ability of different oxidant-ablating interventions to attenuate blood cell endothelial cell interactions underscores the importance of ROS in mediating the dysfunctional microvascular responses to oxidative stress.

Animals↗

Effects of chemotherapeutic drugs on platelet and metastatic tumor cell-endothelial cell interactions as a model for assessing vascular endothelial integrity.

An in vitro assay for examining the sublethal effects of chemotherapeutic agents on vascular endothelial integrity is described. Using vascular endothelial cell monolayers, the kinetics of binding of radiolabeled platelets or metastatic tumor cells were altered when endothelial cells were pretreated for 2 hr with low, clinically relevant concentrations of certain drugs. Electron microscopic examination by scanning electron microscopy revealed that these same drugs caused endothelial cell retraction and exposure of subendothelial matrix. Platelets and tumor cells were found bound only to the exposed areas of subendothelial matrix. Some drugs (bleomycin, 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea, vincristine) induced rapid endothelial cell retraction and increased platelet and tumor cell binding to exposed subendothelial matrix, while one of the drugs tested (Adriamycin) caused delayed (1 to 3 days after a 2-hr drug treatment) endothelial cell retraction and increased cell binding. Of the drugs tested, only 5'-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine which interferes with DNA replication failed to induce endothelial cell retraction and increased tumor cell and platelet binding. The results suggest that certain drug effects on the vascular endothelium can be assessed using the vascular endothelial cell monolayer model.

Animals↗

Fibroblasts, epithelial cells, endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells are major targets of human cytomegalovirus infection in lung and gastrointestinal tissues.

High titre replication of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) in cell culture is restricted to primary human fibroblasts. During acute infection in vivo, HCMV nucleic acids and antigens have been found in various organs. Using only morphological criteria, inconsistent data have been reported about the cell types that can be infected by HCMV. In particular, the role of fibroblasts in organ infections has remained unclear. To define accurately the target cells of HCMV in vivo, tissue sections from lung and gastrointestinal tract of patients suffering from acute HCMV infection were investigated using immunohistochemical double-labelling analyses. Monoclonal antibodies with defined specificity against immediate early (IE), early (E) and late (L) viral antigens and antibodies directed against cell marker proteins were employed to identify infected cells. The results demonstrated that a broad spectrum of cells was infected by HCMV in vivo. Consistent with their susceptibility in culture, fibroblasts formed a major population of HCMV-infected cells. In contrast, haemopoietic cells were only infrequently stained with virus-specific antibodies. Fibroblasts, epithelial cells, endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells and macrophages appeared to be permissive for HCMV replication. Contrary to this, polymorphonuclear cells showed only IE gene expression, indicating that these cells were abortively infected. The analysis of the distribution of infected cells in tissue supported the hypothesis that endothelial cells and monocytes/macrophages may play a crucial role in the haematogenous spread of HCMV; in contrast, fibroblasts, smooth muscle cells and epithelial cells may form the cell populations important for the multiplication and spread of the virus in infected tissues.

Animals↗

Natural killer cell-endothelial cell interactions in xenotransplantation.

Interest in xenotransplantation derives from the documented need for more organs and tissues than can be expected from living or cadaveric donors. Although the barriers to xenotransplantation are formidable, the scientific rewards in addressing these problems have been significant. The first and most potent barrier to xenotransplantation is hyperacute rejection mediated by xenoreactive natural antibodies and serum complement. The majority of the xenoreactive antibodies appear to be directed at terminal galactose epitopes, especially gal alpha1-3 gal. Significant progress has been made in surmounting hyperacute rejection, and this has led to an examination of underlying mechanisms of delayed xenograft rejection. One of these delayed mechanisms concerns the potential role of graft recipient, natural killer (NK) cells. NK cells can cause variable, low-level cytotoxicity of xenogeneic endothelial cells in vitro that may be enhanced in the presence of xenoreactive IgG. The specificity of NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity appears to overlap with a major subset of xenoreactive natural antibodies. These cytotoxic interactions can be regulated by "humanizing" the endothelial cells through expression of the appropriate human MHC class I genes. More important, NK cells induce endothelial cell activation, which results in changing the nature of the endothelial cell surface from an anticoagulant surface to a procoagulant surface. These findings parallel those observed in allogeneic NK cell-endothelial cell interactions and suggest these important observations may be extended to NK cell-endothelial cell interactions in general.

Animals↗

Quantification of tumour cell-endothelial cell attachment by 1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindocarbocyanine (DiI).

Tumour cell attachment to the endothelial cell lining of the circulatory system is of utmost importance in the process of cancer spread. We describe here a method of quantifying tumour cell attachment to an endothelial cell layer in vitro, using the fluorescent carbocyanine dye, 1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindocarbocyanine (DiI). We show that by incubation of human tumour cells with this fluorochrome, a high degree of fluorescent label can be incorporated into the cells without cytotoxic effects. These labelled tumour cells can then be used in subsequent attachment assays involving confluent human endothelial cell layers and subsequently quantified by using a fluorescent plate reader. Monitoring of this assay by fluorescent microscopy showed no transfer of the dye between tumour and attached endothelial cells. The labelled cells remained fluorescent for more than 3 days with no observable cytotoxicity. We suggest that DiI is of use in an assay system such as this to determine the effects of various factors on tumour cell-endothelial cell attachment.

Bisbenzimidazole↗

Extracellular annexin II is associated with divalent cation-dependent tumor cell-endothelial cell adhesion of metastatic RAW117 large-cell lymphoma cells.

Using fixed microvessel endothelial cell monolayers the molecules involved in the adhesion of liver-preferring murine RAW117 large cell lymphoma cells to murine liver-derived microvessel endothelial cells were identified by affinity isolation. Detergent lysates obtained from poorly (P) or highly (H10) liver-metastatic cells inhibited RAW117-H10 cell adhesion to hepatic sinusoidal endothelial (HSE) cell monolayers. Allowing detergent lysates of cell surface-labeled RAW117 cells to bind to fixed HSE cell monolayers and eluting the bound components indicated that several tumor cell surface molecules (approximately 70, approximately 35, approximately 32, approximately 22, and approximately 14 kDa) might be involved in RAW117 cell-HSE cell adhesion. The approximately 35 kDa component was cation dependent in its binding to target HSE cells. Increasing detergent concentration had no effect on binding of the approximately 35 kDa component to HSE cell monolayers, whereas treatment with 0.5 M NaCl resulted in its selective elution from HSE cells. Incubation of the HSE cell monolayers with detergent lysates from cell surface-labeled RAW117-H10 cells resulted in selective depletion of the approximately 35 kDa component, suggesting that the binding is saturable. This divalent cation-dependent molecule is one of the major tumor cell surface components bound by several types of endothelial cells and murine hepatocytes, whereas there was poor binding of this component to unfixed or fixed human red blood cells. The purified, partially (approximately 40%) sequenced molecule had amino acid sequence identity with murine but not bovine annexin II, indicating that it was not bound from the bovine serum used to grow RAW117 cells. Using antibodies specific for annexin II flow cytometry indicated equivalent amounts of annexin II are expressed on RAW117 cell surfaces in the absence or presence of excess EDTA, whereas annexin I was only found in low amounts on the surfaces of RAW117 cells. Annexin II antibodies inhibited by approximately 40-50% the adhesion of RAW117 tumor cells to live or fixed endothelial cells, and purified tumor cell surface fractions containing the approximately 35 kDa component partially inhibited (approximately 35%) RAW117 cell-HSE cell adhesion. The data indicate that annexin II is expressed on the extracellular surface of RAW117 cells, and cell surface-annexin II mediates a portion of the Ca(2+)-dependent RAW117 cell adhesion to liver microvessel endothelial cells.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Tumour-cell-endothelial interactions: free radicals are mediators of melanoma-induced endothelial cell damage.

Damage to vascular endothelium may play an important role during metastasis. We used a three-dimensional model of tumour cell extravasation to test the hypothesis that certain types of tumour cells are able to induce vascular endothelial cell injury. Multicellular tumour spheroids (MCTS) of 14 human cancer cell lines and spheroids from two benign cell lines were transferred onto confluent monolayers of human endothelial cells (EC). MCTS from 4 of 7 melanoma cell lines induced damage of the endothelium which was closely associated with tumour cell attachment. Endothelial cell injury became evident morphologically by loss of cell membrane integrity and sensitivity to shear stress. Similar results were obtained with EC derived from human umbilical veins, umbilical arteries and saphenous veins. Addition of the oxygen radical scavenger catalase showed a dose- and time-dependent inhibition (up to 48 h) of EC damage in the case of the melanoma cell lines ST-ML-11, ST-ML-14 and SK-MEL-28. The scavenging enzyme superoxide dismutase proved to be protective (up to 12 h) in ST-ML-12 MCTS. In contrast, allopurinol, deferoxamine mesylate, ibuprofen, nor-dihydroguaretic acid, soybean trypsin inhibitor or aprotinin had no protective effect. None of the non-melanoma cancer cell lines or benign cells induced endothelial cell damage. Endothelial injury has been shown to enhance the process of metastasis. Our results suggest that free-radical-mediated endothelial cell damage may be one of the mechanisms contributing to the devastating metastatic potential of melanoma.

Catalase↗

Renal ischemia-reperfusion injury: new implications of dendritic cell-endothelial cell interactions.

In renal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury endothelial cells are a main target. The disturbance of endothelial cell physiology leads to endothelial swelling and narrowing of the blood vessel lumen. We attribute this effect to impairment of endothelial cell nitric oxide synthase (NOS). NO is significantly reduced in the course of hypoxia causing dysfunction of the vascular smooth muscle tone. Subsequently to an I/R injury, the inflammatory response results in endothelial activation with enhanced dendritic cell (DC) adhesion and migration. Thus, alloreactive leukocytes are recruited to the inflammatory site. Finally, dendritic cell-endothelial cell interactions may play a crucial role in antigen-specific allograft rejection in I/R renal injury. DCs, which activate naïve alloreactive T cells, play a central role in the establishment of alloantigen-specific immunity. In the course of hypoxia rejection is initiated at the activated layer of foreign endothelial cells (EC), which forms an immunogenic barrier for migrating DCs and T cells. Host DCs that bind to postischemic activated ECs invade the allografted tissues, or remain stationary in the subendothelial layer, or transmigrate into lymphoid vessels and secondary lymphoid organs, where they present alloantigens to naïve host T cells. Organ rejection is mediated by host alloreactive T cells, which are activated by donor DCs (direct activation) or host DCs (indirect activation). We hypothesized that DC-EC binding and migration is the first step in the renal I/R injury that mediates allotransplant rejection. We sought to better understand the downstream events of a renal I/R injury by understanding DC binding and migration, thereby seeking new strategies for more specific immunomodulatory interventions. Herein we developed a new allotransplant-rejection model after renal I/R injury.

Antigen-Presenting Cells↗

Pro-inflammatory cytokines affect pancreatic carcinoma cell. Endothelial cell interactions.

OBJECTIVES: The potential role of surgery-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines on the development of tumor recurrence in pancreatic cancer was investigated. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The adhesion of 3 human pancreatic carcinoma cell lines, PanC1, MiaPaCa and BxPC3 to monolayers of microvascular endothelial cells after pre-incubation with 0.1 or 10 ng/mL IL-1beta, TNF-alpha or IL-6 was assessed in a reproducible human in vitro assay. Untreated monolayers served as controls. RESULTS: Pre-incubation of microvascular endothelial cells with IL-1beta or TNF-alpha, but not IL-6, increased adhesion of all three tumor cell lines as compared to adhesion in the control group. Maximally stimulated adhesion for PanC1 reached 159%, for MiaPaCa 204% and for BxPC3 155% (all vs. the control, P<0.001). Pre-incubation of microvascular endothelial cells with IL-1beta or TNF-alpha resulted in a significant up-regulation of E-selectin, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 expression. The addition of anti-E-selectin, anti-ICAM-1 or anti-VCAM-1 monoclonal antibodies did not decrease adhesion to microvascular endothelial cells pre-incubated with IL-1beta. Therefore, enhanced tumor cell binding seems to be independent of these adhesion molecules. CONCLUSIONS: Pro-inflammatory cytokines derived from surgical trauma may enhance tumor cell adhesion to microvascular endothelial cells and thus bring about more successful tumor cell implantation resulting in an increased risk of metastasis formation.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

p21Cip1 levels differentially regulate turnover of mature endothelial cells, endothelial progenitor cells, and in vivo neovascularization.

p21(Cip1) (p21) controls cell cycle progression and apoptosis in mature endothelial cells (ECs) and regulates size and cycling of the hematopoietic progenitor cell pool. Because circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) contribute to postnatal neovascularization in addition to mature ECs, we investigated the regulation of ECs and EPCs in p21-deficient mice. Mature aortic EC proliferation was increased in homozygous p21(-/-) and heterozygous p21(+/-) mice, in which p21 protein levels are reduced to one third of wild-type (WT). In contrast, apoptosis sensitivity was increased by 3.5-fold only in p21(-/-), but not in p21(+/-) mice. Consistently, in vivo apoptosis of ECs within areas of neovascularization was elevated in p21(-/-) but not in p21(+/-) mice. EPC numbers were elevated 2-fold in p21(-/-) mice compared with WT (P<0.001), and clonal expansion capacity of EPCs was increased from 25+/-4 (WT) to 57+/-8 colony-forming units in p21(-/-) mice (P<0.005). EPC numbers and expansion were likewise increased in p21(+/-) mice. As the integrative endpoint, in vivo neovascularization reflecting all p21-affected parameters was increased over WT only in p21(+/-) (P<0.001), but not in p21(-/-) mice. In conclusion, reduced p21 protein levels of mice lacking one p21 allele are associated with increased proliferation of ECs and EPCs, whereas survival of ECs to apoptotic stimuli in vitro and in vivo is not impaired. Under these conditions, neovascularization was increased. In contrast, complete p21 deficiency did not result in an increased neovascularization despite increased mature EC and EPC proliferation. This may be due to the sensitization of ECs against apoptosis.

Alleles↗

Molecular basis of sickle cell-endothelial cell interactions.

Adherence of sickle erythrocytes to microvascular endothelium is posited to initiate or contribute to sickle cell vaso-occlusive pain episodes. Adherence and occlusion in vivo may depend on hemodynamics interacting with plasma, erythrocyte, and endothelial cell factors. Four receptor-mediated adherence pathways have been described to date: adherence mediated by high molecular weight von Willebrand factor multimers bridging glycoprotein lb-like and integrin receptors on sickle cells and similar receptors on endothelial cells; thrombospondin bridging CD36 on sickle reticulocytes and the alpha v beta 3 integrin on large-vessel endothelial cells or alpha v beta 3 and CD36 on microvascular endothelium; binding of sickle reticulocyte alpha 4 beta 1 receptors to vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 expressed on endothelial cells stimulated by cytokine or double-stranded RNA viruses; and binding of sickle cells to endothelial cell-associated fibronectin via sickle reticulocyte alpha 4 beta 1 activated by phorbol ester or interleukin-8. The significance of these adherence pathways in sickle cell vaso-occlusion is discussed.

Endothelium, Vascular↗

Clinicopathological study of lymphocyte attachment to endothelial cells (endothelialitis) in various liver diseases.

An attachment of lymphocytes to the vascular wall, a feature called "endothelialitis" (ETL) or "endotheliitis", was investigated in various liver biopsies, including acute hepatitis (AH), hepatic infectious mononucleosis (IM), drug-induced hepatitis, alcoholic hepatitis and fibrosis, chronic persistent hepatitis (CPH), chronic active hepatitis (CAH), liver cirrhosis (LC), primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), nonspecific reactive hepatitis (NSRH), and cases with a variety of diseases having almost normal liver histology as control material. Although ETL has been considered to be nearly pathognomic of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and acute transplant rejection, ETL was found in both portal and central veins with a variable incidence, not only in all categories of liver diseases, but also in the control group. The incidence of central vein ETL was significantly higher in AH, CAH, PBC, IM, alcoholic fibrosis, and NSRH than that of the control group, and that of portal vein ETL was significantly higher in AH, CPH, CAH, LC, PBC, IM, and alcoholic fibrosis. Even under the light microscope, lymphocytes attached to the endothelial cells had irregular cytoplasmic processes making contact with endothelial cells. Also lymphocytes located beneath the endothelial lining were frequently found. When ETL-positive and -negative cases in the same category were compared, the levels of serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) and glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) were usually higher in the ETL-positive group, and statistically significant differences were observed in CPH, CAH, LC, PBC and NSRH. In chronic hepatitis, the occurrence of portal vein ETL paralleled the histologic activity of portal inflammation, whereas central vein endothelialitis was associated with active parenchymal inflammation such as sinusoidal lymphocyte infiltration and spotty hepatocyte necrosis, indicating that ETL may be a phenomenon more frequently associated with active hepatic inflammation. Immunohistochemical observations revealed that about 70% of lymphocytes attached to the endothelial cells were T cells, while about 10% were B cells. These data indicate that ETL in the liver is not specifically pathognomonic for GVHD and rejection of liver transplants, and is universally found in a variety of liver diseases with a varying incidence and activity, related to the activity of hepatic inflammation, portal vein ETL occurring in relation to active portal inflammation and central vein ETL to parenchymal inflammation. Thus ETL is considered to be an intimate T lymphocyte-endothelial cell interaction universally associated with active hepatic inflammation; it may be an important phenomenon leading to accumulation of cellular exudates and their reaction at the site of antigen in the tissue.

Biopsy↗

Recognition of heterogeneous lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) receptors on Kaposi's sarcoma cells, endothelial cells, and monocytes/macrophages: evidence of distinct LAK-cell antigen on Kaposi's sarcoma cells--potential for use of LAK cells for immunotherapy.

The purpose of this study was to determine the potential use of lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells against Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) cells. We used chromium release cold-target inhibition assay for understanding the expression of heterogeneous LAK-cell antigens (Ags) on KS cells, endothelial cells (ECs), and monocytes/macrophages (M phi) which could allow for the utilization of LAK-cell immunotherapy in KS without side effects. Our data show that (i) all three cell types express the CD18 Ag of LFA-1 or Leu-CAM, (ii) rare KS cells from eyes cannot cold target-inhibit ECs, (iii) KS cells express a distinct LAK-cell Ag, which we have called LAK-KS Ag, and (iv) LAK-KS Ag allows for cold-target inhibition between different KS cells. The identification of LAK-KS Ag and a monoclonal antibody capable of inhibiting lysis of ECs and M phi without obstructing LAK-KS Ag would be important.

Antigens, CD↗