Fibronectin associated with infiltrating T lymphocytes. Evidence for in situ localization in biopsies and synthesis in vitro.
Dermal and mucosal lymphocyte infiltrates in patients with lichen ruber planus and chronic graft-vs.-host disease exhibited reactivity with anti-fibronectin antibodies. This reactivity was associated with the lymphocytes and localized pericellularly. In contrast, biopsy areas outside lymphocyte accumulations were relatively devoid of reactivity with anti-fibronectin antibodies. Furthermore, the corresponding biopsies from healthy individuals or patients without lymphocyte infiltration showed negligible reactivity with anti-fibronectin antibodies. The fibronectin associated with infiltrating lymphocytes in biopsies may be exogenous of non-lymphoid origin. However, another possibility suggested by in vitro experiments is that this fibronectin is lymphocyte derived. Thus, during cultivation in vitro lymphocytes appear to synthesize a component with fibronectin-like properties. Furthermore, a prerequisite for detection of this synthesis was that the cells were cultured in the presence of serum depleted of fibronectin. These results point to the possibility that fibronectin may play a role for lymphocyte interactions with tissues during infiltrative processes.
Sundqvist
K G
KG
Department of Clinical Immunology, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Wanger
L
L
Heimdahl
A
A
Lönnqvist
B
B
Hauzenberger
D
D
D001706:Biopsy; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000276:immunology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000276:immunology; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008010:Lichen Planus / Q000276:immunology*; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000276:immunology; D012867:Skin / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*
D005353:Fibronectins