title: Nitric oxide reduces T lymphocyte adhesion to human brain microvessel endothelial cells via a cGMP-dependent pathway.
abstract: The entry of lymphocytes into the brain is normally limited by the blood-brain barrier, however, during inflammation prominent lymphocytic infiltration occurs. In this study, we investigated the effects of nitric oxide (NO) on the adhesion of T cells to cultured human brain microvessel endothelial cells. T cell adhesion to unstimulated or tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)-treated cells was quantified by counting the number of lymphocytes bound to the monolayer by light microscopy. TNF-alpha increased T cell adhesion in a time-dependent manner. Incubation of monolayers with NO donors decreased adhesion. This effect was blocked by a guanylyl cyclase inhibitor and mimicked by a cGMP agonist, and was thus dependent on the generation of cGMP. NO did not modulate adhesion molecule expression in the endothelial cells, suggesting an action on the T cells. Pre-treatment of T cells with NO or a cGMP agonist decreased binding to recombinant endothelial adhesion molecules. These findings suggest that NO can modulate the adhesion of T cells to human brain microvessel endothelial cells via a cGMP-dependent mechanism, and may thus regulate lymphocyte traffic during central nervous system inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and The Brain Research Centre, Section of Neuropathology, Vancouver Hospital, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., Canada.
authors.forename: Donald
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Rukmini
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Prameya
authors.forename: Vivian
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Katerina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dorovini-Zis
authors.forename: Steven R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Vincent
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D019040:E-Selectin / Q000494:pharmacology; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D006801:Humans; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000494:pharmacology; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology*; D020030:Nitric Oxide Donors / Q000494:pharmacology; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D009599:Nitroprusside / Q000494:pharmacology; D009603:Nitroso Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D010069:Oxadiazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000494:pharmacology; D011810:Quinoxalines / Q000494:pharmacology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: C095284:1H-(1,2,4)oxadiazolo(4,3-a)quinoxalin-1-one; D019040:E-Selectin; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D020030:Nitric Oxide Donors; D009603:Nitroso Compounds; D010069:Oxadiazoles; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D011810:Quinoxalines; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; C094210:2,2'-(hydroxynitrosohydrazono)bis-ethanamine; D009599:Nitroprusside; C016276:8-bromocyclic GMP; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase; D006152:Cyclic GMP; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester