Inflammatory recruitment of leukocytes is governed by dynamic interactions between integrins and endothelial immunoglobulin superfamily (IgSF) proteins. We have identified the IgSF member junctional adhesion molecule 1 (JAM-1) as a ligand of the beta(2) integrin lymphocyte function-associated antigen 1 (LFA-1). Under static and physiological flow conditions, JAM-1 contributed to LFA-1-dependent transendothelial migration of T cells and neutrophils as well as LFA-1-mediated arrest of T cells. The latter was triggered by chemokines on endothelium that was stimulated with cytokines to redistribute JAM-1 from the tight junctions. Transfectants expressing JAM-1 supported LFA-1-mediated adhesion of leukocytes, which required the membrane-proximal Ig-like domain 2 of JAM-1. Thus, JAM-1 is a counter-receptor for LFA-1 that is ideally situated to guide and control transmigration during leukocyte recruitment.

The vitamin E analog alpha-tocopheryl succinate (alpha-TOS) can induce apoptosis. We show that the proapoptotic activity of alpha-TOS in hematopoietic and cancer cell lines involves inhibition of protein kinase C (PKC), since phorbol myristyl acetate prevented alpha-TOS-triggered apoptosis. More selective effectors indicated that alpha-TOS reduced PKCalpha isotype activity by increasing protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) activity. The role of PKCalpha inhibition in alpha-TOS-induced apoptosis was confirmed using antisense oligonucleotides or PKCalpha overexpression. Gain- or loss-of-function bcl-2 mutants implied modulation of bcl-2 activity by PKC/PP2A as a mitochondrial target of alpha-TOS-induced proapoptotic signals. Structural analogs revealed that alpha-tocopheryl and succinyl moieties are both required for maximizing these effects. In mice with colon cancer xenografts, alpha-TOS suppressed tumor growth by 80%. This epitomizes cancer cell killing by a pharmacologically relevant compound without known side effects.

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Cytohesin-1 is a regulatory interaction partner of the beta2 integrin alphaLbeta2 (LFA-1) and a guanine exchange factor (GEF) for ADP ribosylation factor (ARF)-GTPases. However, a functional role of cytohesin-1 in leukocyte adhesion to activated endothelium and subsequent transmigration in response to chemokines has not been defined. Overexpression of cytohesin-1 increased LFA-1-dependent arrest of leukocytic cells triggered by chemokines on cytokine-activated endothelium in flow while reducing the fraction of rolling cells. Conversely, a dominant-negative PH domain construct of cytohesin-1 but not a mutant deficient in GEF activity impaired arrest, indicating an involvement of the PH domain while GEF function is not required. Expression of these constructs and a beta2 mutant interrupting the interaction with cytohesin-1 indicated that shape change in flow and transendothelial chemotaxis involve both LFA-1 avidity regulation and GEF activity of cytohesin-1. As a potential downstream target, ARF6 but not ARF1 was identified to participate in chemotaxis. Our data suggest that cytohesin-1 and ARF6 are involved in the dynamic regulation of complex signaling pathways and cytoskeletal remodeling processes governing LFA-1 functions in leukocyte recruitment. Differential effects of cytohesin-1 and ARF6 mutants in our systems reveal that cytohesin-1 with its GEF activity controls both conversion of rolling into firm arrest and transmigration triggered by chemokines, whereas a cyclical activity of ARF6 plays a more important role in diapedesis.

Binding of the β2 integrin LFA-1 (αLβ2) to junctional adhesion molecule-A (JAM-A) has been shown to enhance leukocyte adhesion and transendothelial migration. This is mediated by the membrane-proximal Ig-like domain 2 of JAM-A; however, the location of the JAM-A binding site in LFA-1 has not been identified. We have deleted the I domain in the αL subunit of LFA-1 and expressed this αL mutant in αl-deficient Jurkat J-β2.7 cells to demonstrate that the I domain of LFA-1 is crucial for their adhesion to immobilized JAM-A. This was substantiated by blocking the stimulated adhesion of wild-type Jurkat T cells or monocytic Mono Mac 6 cells to JAM-A using the I domain-directed mAb TS1/22 or the small molecule antagonist BIRT 377, which stabilizes the low-affinity conformation of the I domain. The immobilized LFA-1 I domain locked in the open high-affinity conformation was sufficient to support binding of transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing JAM-A. Solid-phase binding assays confirmed a direct interaction of recombinant JAM-A with the immobilized locked-open I domain. These data provide the first evidence that the I domain of LFA-1 contains a functional binding site for JAM-A.