Ninjurin1 is expressed in myeloid cells and mediates endothelium adhesion in the brains of EAE rats.
Ninjurin1 (nerve injury-induced protein, Ninj1) is an adhesion molecule that is essential for cell-to-cell interactions. However, little is known about the function of Ninj1 in the central nervous system (CNS). To address its role in the CNS, we analyzed the expression pattern of Ninj1 in normal rats and in an experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) model. Ninj1 was expressed in three major compartments of brains, meninges, the choroid plexus, and parenchymal perivascular spaces. In the EAE brains, Ninj1 was strongly expressed in myeloid cells (macrophages/monocytes and neutrophils) and partially expressed in endothelial cells (ECs). Furthermore, Ninj1 enhanced adhesion between BV2 cells (murine monocyte lineage microglia) and HBMECs (human brain microvascular endothelial cells). Collectively, our findings suggest that Ninj1 may mediate the entry of myeloid cells into the CNS in normal and EAE brains, and it is a potential therapeutic target for regulating myeloid cell trafficking across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in CNS immune processes.
Ahn
Bum Ju
BJ
NeuroVascular Coordination Research Center, College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Republic of Korea.
Lee
Hyo-Jong
HJ
Shin
Min Wook
MW
Choi
Jeong-Hyun
JH
Jeong
Joo-Won
JW
Kim
Kyu-Won
KW
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D004727:Endothelium / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D022423:Myeloid Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D015854:Up-Regulation
D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; C101196:Ninj1 protein, rat