Powerful inflammatory properties of large vein endothelium in vivo.
OBJECTIVE
Inflammatory responses of large vein endothelium are of importance in pathological processes such as venous thrombosis, chronic venous congestion, and vein graft atherosclerosis. However, the inflammatory properties of large vein endothelium are unclear.


RESULTS
In this study, we used several microscopy techniques to investigate the inflammatory properties of large vein endothelium in vivo. We show that the endothelium in the mouse inferior vena cava (IVC) possesses powerful inflammatory properties that are distinct from the less inflammatory reactive aortic endothelium and virtually identical to endothelial responses in postcapillary venules. Inflammatory stimulation with tumor necrosis factor-alpha induced strong expression of cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) in the IVC. These CAMs promoted recruitment of leukocytes, platelets, and erythrocytes to the vein wall. The inflammatory responses altered endothelial structure and increased endothelial permeability in the IVC. Accumulation of blood cells and endothelial damage were markedly reduced in mice deficient in the endothelial leukocyte recruitment molecules E-selectin and P-selectin, indicating a central role for these molecules in driving structural and functional changes of IVC endothelium.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings provide the first comprehensive demonstration of the inflammatory capacity of large vein endothelium and emphasize the actions of endothelial cells as targets in large vein disease.
Eriksson
Einar E
EE
Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet S-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden. einar.eriksson@fyfa.ki.se
Karlof
Eva
E
Lundmark
Karin
K
Rotzius
Pierre
P
Hedin
Ulf
U
Xie
Xun
X
D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000473:pathology; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000276:immunology; D019040:E-Selectin / Q000276:immunology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000473:pathology; D007083:Iliac Artery / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000276:immunology; D036904:Leukocyte Rolling / Q000276:immunology; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D019007:P-Selectin / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D014657:Vasculitis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D014682:Vena Cava, Inferior / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D014699:Venules / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology
D019040:E-Selectin; D019007:P-Selectin; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1