title: Expression of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) on the human oviductal epithelium and mediation of lymphoid cell adherence.
abstract: The epithelium of the human oviduct expresses the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II and shows endocytic properties towards luminal antigens. Therefore, the epithelial cells might behave as antigen-presenting cells, inducing a local immune response. The activation of antigen-specific T cells not only requires presentation of the peptide antigen by MHC class II, but also the presence of co-stimulatory molecules in the antigen-presenting cells. Therefore, the expression of the intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) was examined in the epithelium of the human oviduct. Most oviducts showed epithelial ICAM-1 expression, as assessed by immunocytochemistry, western blot analysis and RT-PCR assay, and the expression was restricted to the luminal border of ciliated and secretory cells. Interferon gamma, interleukin 1 and lipopolysaccharide treatments increased the percentage of ICAM-1-positive cells in primary cultures, indicating that the expression of ICAM-1 in the oviduct might be upregulated in vivo by inflammatory cytokines or bacterial infections. Binding assays between allogenic phytohaemagglutinin-activated lymphocytes and epithelial monolayers expressing ICAM-1 demonstrated that this molecule stimulated lymphocyte adherence. The presence of ICAM-1, in addition to MHC class II, supports the putative role of the oviductal epithelium in antigen presentation. The exclusive apical distribution of ICAM-1 indicates that T-cell activation would occur in a polarized manner. Binding of lymphoid cells to the surface of the oviductal epithelium may help to retain these immune cells that are required for the clearance of pathogens.
authors.affiliation: Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Facultad de Química y Biología, Laboratorio de Inmunología de la Reproducción, Casilla 40 Correo 33, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Utreras
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ossandon
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Acuña-Castillo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Varela-Nallar
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Arraztoa
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cardenas
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Imarai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D017951:Antigen Presentation; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D046508:Culture Techniques; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D005187:Fallopian Tubes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D007375:Interleukin-1; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D007371:Interferon-gamma