ELAM-1 is an adhesion molecule for skin-homing T cells.
Endothelial cell leukocyte adhesion molecule-1 (ELAM-1) has been described as an inducible endothelial cell-adhesion molecule for neutrophils, and is believed to have a key role in the extravasation of these cells at sites of acute inflammation. Here we report that ELAM-1-transfected COS cells also bind a unique skin-associated subset of circulating memory T cells defined by the expression of the cutaneous lymphocyte-associated antigen. T cells expressing this antigen bind at least as well as neutrophils to expressed ELAM-1, whereas other lymphocytes in the peripheral blood bind poorly, or not at all. Immunohistological survey of chronically inflamed tissue specimens revealed that vascular expression of ELAM-1 occurs at cutaneous sites in preference to noncutaneous sites. We conclude that at sites of chronic inflammation, ELAM-1 may function as a skin vascular addressin, a tissue-selective endothelial cell-adhesion molecule for skin-homing memory T lymphocytes.
Picker
L J
LJ
Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, California 94305.
Kishimoto
T K
TK
Smith
C W
CW
Warnock
R A
RA
Butcher
E C
EC
D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D002460:Cell Line; D019040:E-Selectin; D006801:Humans; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000502:physiology*; D012867:Skin / Q000276:immunology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D014162:Transfection
D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D019040:E-Selectin