Expression of E- and P-selectins by vascular endothelial cells in human tonsils.
Selectins play an important role in the adhesion between vascular endothelial cells and leukocytes in immuno-inflammatory events. We investigated the immunohistochemical localization of E- and P-selectins in the human palatine tonsils at light and electron microscopic levels. E-selectin was expressed by high endothelial venules (HEV) in a linear pattern in heavily inflamed tonsils with focal infection and extensive neutrophilic infiltration, and much less in hypertrophic tonsils without focal infection. P-selectin expression was found on HEV to the same extent in both disease states in a dot pattern in the cytoplasm. Immunoelectron microscopically, E- and P-selectins were localized along the luminal plasma membrane and in the perinuclear space in HEV endothelial cells. The present study suggests that increased expression of E- and P-selectin in vascular endothelial cells is a significant feature of inflamed tonsils induced by focal infection. E- and P-selectins may participate in different roles in the inflammatory process of the tonsils.
Andoh
N
N
Department of Pathology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Tohoku Kousai Hospital, Sendai Red Cross Hospital, Sendai, Japan.
Ohtani
H
H
Kusakari
C
C
Onodera
A
A
Hotta
O
O
Tomioka
S
S
Nagura
H
H
D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D019040:E-Selectin / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D004727:Endothelium / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D009504:Neutrophils; D019007:P-Selectin / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000648:ultrastructure*
D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D019040:E-Selectin; D019007:P-Selectin