title: Role of selectin-dependent adhesion in cardiac allograft rejection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Selectins play important roles in the inflammatory responses by eliciting leukocyte rolling. The roles of E- and P-selectins in the acute rejection of cardiac allografts remain unclear. This study was designed to evaluate whether E- and P-selectins participate in the pathophysiology of heart rejection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Heterotopic heart transplantation was performed in both mice and rats in full histoincompatibility combinations. Immunohistochemistry, flow-cytometry, and reverse transcriptase- polymerase chain reaction were performed to evaluate E-, P-selectin and sialyl Lewis X (SLeX) expression in rejecting cardiac allografts. The effects of short-term administration of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to E- and P-selectins on cardiac allograft survival were also evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant prolongation of graft survival was observed in mice treated with either anti-E- or P-selectin mAbs, or both. The enhanced endothelial and mRNA expression of E- and P-selectins was observed in the rejecting cardiac allografts. Some graft- infiltrating mononuclear cells were double-stained with both anti-SLeX and anti-alphabetaT cell receptor mAbs. Flow-cytometric analysis of graft-infiltrating cells also showed enhanced SLeX expression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that both P- and E-selectins are critically involved in the early development of acute heart rejection.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamazaki
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Isobe
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tojo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Horie
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Okubo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sekiguchi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019040:E-Selectin / Q000502:physiology*; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D007957:Leukocyte Adherence Inhibition Test; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D009206:Myocardium / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D019007:P-Selectin / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D016042:Transplantation, Heterotopic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D019040:E-Selectin; D019007:P-Selectin