title: Expression of CD44 and integrins in bronchial mucosa of normal and mildly asthmatic subjects.
abstract: We have investigated the expression of cell surface markers and leucocyte cell adhesion molecules by immunohistochemistry in bronchial biopsies from 10 mild atopic asthmatics and 8 normal, nonatopic subjects. Significantly increased numbers of eosinophils (p<0.01) were evident in the bronchial submucosa of asthmatic subjects. In epithelium there were more CD44+ (p<0.02) and lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1)+ (p<0.06) leucocytes in asthmatics than in normal subjects. Bronchial epithelial cells stained positively with anti-CD44 monoclonal antibodies (moAb) in both groups; however, when the staining was expressed as percentage of the total basement membrane, a considerable and highly significant increase was observed in the asthmatics (median 80 vs 22%, p=0.003). Few leucocytes were positive for very late activation antigen (VLA)-1, VLA-2 and VLA-4. The moAb for VLA-6 stained the basement membrane of the bronchial epithelium; while intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) were constitutively expressed in endothelium. A positive correlation was found between LFA-1+ cells and activated eosinophils (EG2+) in the submucosa (p<0.005; r(s)=0.80). We conclude that even in mild asthma there is evidence of increased expression of cell surface ligands, and suggest that adhesive mechanisms play a role both in cell recruitment and disease activity.
authors.affiliation: Immunopharmacology Group, University Medicine, University of Southampton, UK.
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Peroni
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Djukanović
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bradding
authors.forename: I H
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Feather
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Montefort
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Howarth
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Holgate
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D001980:Bronchi / Q000378:metabolism*; D004804:Eosinophils; D004848:Epithelium / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000032:analysis*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D039222:Integrin alpha1beta1; D039041:Integrin alpha4beta1; D039121:Integrin alpha6beta1; D019012:Integrin beta1 / Q000032:analysis; D016023:Integrins / Q000032:analysis*; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000032:analysis; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D016169:Lymphocyte Function-Associated Antigen-1 / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D010641:Phenotype; D038981:Receptors, Collagen; D016201:Receptors, Lymphocyte Homing / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D039222:Integrin alpha1beta1; D039041:Integrin alpha4beta1; D039121:Integrin alpha6beta1; D019012:Integrin beta1; D016023:Integrins; D016169:Lymphocyte Function-Associated Antigen-1; D038981:Receptors, Collagen; D016201:Receptors, Lymphocyte Homing; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1