title: Expression of E- and P-selectins by vascular endothelial cells in human tonsils.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Tohoku Kousai Hospital, Sendai Red Cross Hospital, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Andoh
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohtani
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kusakari
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Onodera
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hotta
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tomioka
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nagura
mesh_terms: 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*
chemical_list: D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D019040:E-Selectin; D019007:P-Selectin