Phenotypic and functional characterization of lymphocytes that bind human microvascular endothelial cells in vitro: evidence for preferential binding of natural killer cells

• Published in: The Journal of clinical investigation Vol. 79; no. 6; pp. 1679 - 1688
• Main Authors: BENDER, J. R, PARDI, R, KARASEK, M. A, ENGLEMAN, E. G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ann Arbor, MI American Society for Clinical Investigation 01-06-1987
• Subjects: Antibodies, Monoclonal - immunology; Antigens, Surface - immunology; Antigens, Surface - physiology; Biological and medical sciences; Capillaries - cytology; Cell Adhesion; Cell interactions, adhesion; Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; Endothelium - cytology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Graft Rejection; Humans; Interleukin-1 - pharmacology; Killer Cells, Natural - cytology; Lymphocytes - classification; Lymphocytes - metabolism; Male; Microcirculation; Molecular and cellular biology; Phenotype; Recombinant Proteins - pharmacology; Rosette Formation
• ISSN: 0021-9738; 1558-8238
• DOI: 10.1172/JCI113007

The microvascular endothelium has been postulated to be a critical target in the rejection of vascularized allografts. This study was undertaken to examine the ability of human sheep erythrocyte rosette forming lymphocytes (E-RFC) to form stable conjugates with microvascular endothelial cells (EC), and to assess whether a receptor-ligand interaction mediates this event. Human foreskin microvascular EC monolayers were used as targets of chromium-51-labeled E-RFC in a quantitative adherence assay. Binding was saturable, displaceable by unlabeled E-RFC, augmented by recombinant interleukin 1 (rIL-1) and inhibited by anti-LFA1 antibody. The Leu-11+ lymphocyte subset, known to be enriched for natural killer (NK) cells, bound preferentially. Only the EC-adherent lymphocyte fraction contained NK effectors, which lysed EC and classical NK targets. Thus, NK cells adhere to microvascular EC via a specific receptor-ligand interaction. The possibility exists that such binding occurs in recipients of vascularized allografts, representing the initial stage of graft rejection.