title: Tissue-specific microvascular endothelial cells show distinct capacity to activate NK cells: implications for the pathophysiology of granulomatosis with polyangiitis.
abstract: The relevance of tissue specificity of microvascular endothelial cells (MECs) in the response to inflammatory stimuli and sensitivity to immune cell-mediated injury is not well defined. We hypothesized that such MEC characteristics might shape their interaction with NK cells through the use of different adhesion molecules and NK cell receptor ligands or the release of different soluble factors and render them more or less vulnerable to NK cell injury during autoimmune vasculitis, such as granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA). To generate a comprehensive expression profile of human MECs of renal, lung, and dermal tissue origin, we characterized, in detail, their response to inflammatory cytokines and to proteinase 3, a major autoantigen in GPA, and analyzed the effects on NK cell activation. In this study, we show that renal MECs were more susceptible than lung and dermal MECs to the effect of inflammatory signals, showing upregulation of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 on their surface, as well as release of CCL2, soluble fractalkine, and soluble VCAM-1. Proteinase 3-stimulated renal and lung MECs triggered CD107a degranulation in control NK cell. Notably, NK cells from GPA patients expressed markers of recent in vivo activation (CD69, CD107a), degranulated more efficiently than did control NK cells in the presence of renal MECs, and induced direct killing of renal MECs in vitro. These results suggest that, upon inflammatory conditions in GPA, renal MECs may contribute to the recruitment and activation of NK cells in the target vessel wall, which may participate in the necrotizing vasculitis of the kidney during this disease.
authors.affiliation: INSERM, U1016 Hôpital Saint-Vincent de Paul, 75014 Paris, France;
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tognarelli
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gayet
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lambert
authors.forename: Stéphanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dupuy
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karras
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: Loïc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Guillevin
authors.forename: Mathilde
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Menthon
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Caillat-Zucman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D020405:Dermis / Q000098:blood supply / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D014890:Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D007668:Kidney / Q000098:blood supply / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000098:blood supply / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D055953:Microscopic Polyangiitis / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009928:Organ Specificity / Q000276:immunology*; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1