Characterization of epithelial V-like antigen in human choroid plexus epithelial cells: Potential role in CNS immune surveillance

• Published in: Neuroscience letters Vol. 495; no. 2; pp. 115 - 120
• Main Authors: Wojcik, Elise, Carrithers, Lisette M., Carrithers, Michael D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 16-05-2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adhesion; Adult; Antibodies, Blocking - pharmacology; Antibodies, Monoclonal - pharmacology; Biological and medical sciences; Blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier; Calcium Signaling; CD4 T lymphocyte; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - physiology; Cell Adhesion; Cell Adhesion Molecules - antagonists & inhibitors; Cell Adhesion Molecules - biosynthesis; Cell Adhesion Molecules - immunology; Cells, Cultured; Cerebral circulation. Blood-brain barrier. Choroid plexus. Cerebrospinal fluid. Circumventricular organ. Meninges; Choroid Plexus - metabolism; Epithelial Cells - physiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Signal transduction; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; Signal transduction; CD4 T lymphocyte; Blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier; Adhesion; Characterization; Human; Choroid plexus; Ependymal organ; T-Lymphocyte; Central nervous system; Epithelial cell; Cerebrospinal fluid
• ISSN: 0304-3940; 1872-7972
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2011.03.051

► EVA is expressed by human choroid plexus epithelial cells and CD4 T lymphocytes. ► An anti-EVA antibody inhibits cell adhesion and epithelial calcium signaling. ► Some T lymphocytes become entangled within epithelial cytoskeletal processes. ► EVA may mediate T cell-mediated immune surveillance within the choroid plexus.
Prior work demonstrated that immune surveillance of the brain occurs primarily through the blood-cerebrospinal (CSF) fluid barrier rather than the blood-brain barrier endothelium. Recently, we identified epithelial V-like antigen (EVA), an immunoglobulin-like adhesion molecule, as a regulator of blood-CSF barrier integrity in a mouse model. Here we characterized EVA expression and function in human choroid plexus epithelial cells and analyzed its role in CD4 T lymphocyte adhesion. In human choroid plexus epithelial cells and a subset of CD4 T lymphocytes, EVA is expressed at high levels. Epithelial adhesion of T lymphocytes is inhibited by a blocking monoclonal antibody that recognizes EVA. T cell adhesion elicits calcium flux in choroid plexus epithelial cells that also can be blocked by an EVA-specific antibody. EVA-positive cell–cell contacts between epithelial and T cells are associated with increased complexity of cytoskeletal epithelial morphology. These results demonstrate that EVA is expressed in human choroid plexus epithelial cells and CD4 T lymphocytes and regulates CD4+ T lymphocyte adhesion to human choroid plexus epithelial cells
in vitro. These data suggest a novel mechanism to regulate CNS immune surveillance.