Novel expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (CD106) by squamous epithelium in experimental acute graft-versus-host disease.
Vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1; CD106), the receptor for VLA-4, is an important mediator of adhesive and co-stimulatory interactions that govern cutaneous immune responses. Initial studies designed to elucidate temporal aspects of endothelial adhesion molecule induction in murine acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) revealed unexpected and novel VCAM-1 expression by cutaneous and mucosal epithelial cells. Immunohistochemical techniques confirmed VCAM-1 staining as early as 7 days after transplantation in a distinctive subpopulation of squamous epithelial cells that normally occupy focal domains within the epidermal basal cell layer, the follicular infundibulum, and the dorsal lingual epithelium. Specifically, VCAM-1 expression was intimately associated with rete ridge-like prominences in footpad epidermis and in dorsal lingual epithelium. VCAM-1, as evaluated by serial section-labeling techniques, was preferentially expressed at sites of early epithelial infiltration by CD4(+) T cells. Western blot analysis confirmed expression of the 110-kd isoform of VCAM-1 in epithelium isolated from aGVHD animals, and immunoelectron microscopy demonstrated VCAM-1 reactivity restricted exclusively to epithelial cell plasma membranes. It is concluded that VCAM-1 is selectively expressed by discrete squamous epithelial subpopulations in murine aGVHD. As such, VCAM-1 may play a previously unrecognized role in mediating interactions between donor effector T lymphocytes and host epithelial cell targets.
Kim
Judith C
JC
Department of Pathology, The Jefferson Center for Dermatopathology Laboratories for Cutaneous Research, Jefferson Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107-6799, USA.
Whitaker-Menezes
Diana
D
Deguchi
Masatoshi
M
Adair
Brigette S
BS
Korngold
Robert
R
Murphy
George F
GF
D000818:Animals; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D012867:Skin / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology
D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1