Effects of Parietaria judaica pollen extract on human microvascular endothelial cells.
Pollinosis from Parietaria judaica is one of the main causes of allergy in the Mediterranean area. The present study is designed to assess if P. judaica pollens contain bioactive compounds able to elicit a functional response in endothelial cells. We have demonstrated that addition of pollen extract to human lung microvascular endothelial cells (HMVEC-L) induces a modification of cell morphology, actin cytoskeletal rearrangements and an increase in endothelial cell permeability. We further showed that the treatment of endothelial cells with pollen extract causes an increase of E-selectin and VCAM-1 protein levels as well as an increase of IL-8 production. The stimulation of cell-cell adhesion molecules was paralleled by a dose-dependent increase of adhesion of polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs) to HMVEC-L monolayer. Our results suggest for the first time that pollen affect directly endothelial cells (EC) modulating critical functions related to the inflammatory response.
Dipartimento di Biopatologia e Metodologie Biomediche, Sezione di Biologia e Genetica, Università di Palermo, Via Divisi 83, 90133 Palermo, Italy.
Simona
S
Taverna
Anna
A
Flugy
Paolo
P
Colomba
Marilisa
M
Barranca
Giacomo
G
De Leo
Riccardo
R
Alessandro
D002196:Capillaries / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019040:E-Selectin / Q000378:metabolism; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000098:blood supply; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D032403:Parietaria; D010539:Permeability / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011058:Pollen; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism
D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D019040:E-Selectin; D016209:Interleukin-8; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1