Leukocyte-endothelial adhesion is impaired in the cremaster muscle microcirculation of the copper-deficient rat.
Dietary copper deficiency impairs the function of both the vascular endothelium and circulating leukocytes. In the current study, leukocyte-endothelium adhesion was observed in the in vivo cremaster muscle microcirculation of copper-adequate and copper-deficient rats. Male, weanling Sprague-Dawley rats were fed purified diets that were either adequate (5.6 microg/g) or deficient (0.3 microg/g) in copper. Adhesion was stimulated with the inflammatory mediators tumor necrosis factor-alpha and bradykinin, and the chemotactic peptide N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine. Intravascular adhesion of leukocytes to the vascular endothelium was significantly attenuated in the copper-deficient group in response to all three agonists. These results occurred without any difference in intravascular wall shear rate between the dietary groups. Based on previous work, we propose that the attenuated response is caused by either decreased expression of adhesion molecules on leukocytes and endothelial cells or by inhibition of the endothelial cell calcium signaling associated with copper deficiency.
Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Health Sciences Center A1115, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292, USA. daschu01@gwise.louisville.edu
D A
DA
Schuschke
J T
JT
Saari
F N
FN
Miller
D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D003300:Copper / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000378:metabolism; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology*; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000098:blood supply*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D003300:Copper