Blood monocytes are the principal reservoir for tissue macrophages in rheumatoid synovitis. Receptor-mediated adhesive interactions between circulating cells and the synovial venules initiate recruitment. These interactions have been studied primarily in cultured endothelial cells. Thus the functional activities of specific adhesion receptors, such as the endothelial selectins and the leukocytic integrins, have not been evaluated directly in diseased tissues. We therefore examined monocytemicrovascular interactions in rheumatoid synovitis by modifying the Stamper-Woodruff frozen section binding assay initially developed to study lymphocyte homing. Specific binding of monocytes to venules lined by low or high endothelium occurred at concentrations as low as 5 X 195 cells/ml. mAbs specific for P-selectin (CD62, GMP-140/PADGEM) blocked adhesion by > 90% in all synovitis specimens examined. In contrast, P-selectin-mediated adhesion to the microvasculature was either lower or absent in frozen sections of normal foreskin and placenta. mAbs specific for E-selectin (ELAM-1) blocked 20-50% of monocyte attachment in several RA synovial specimens but had no effect in others. mAbs specific for LFA-1, Mol /Mac 1, the integrin fl2-chain, and L-selectin individually inhibited 30-40% of adhesion. An mAb specific for the integrin Bl-chain inhibited the attachment ofelutriated monocytes up to 20%. We conclude that P-selectin associated with the synovial microvasculature initiates shear-resistant adhesion of monocytes in the Stamper-Woodruff assay and stabilizes bonds formed by other selectins and the integrins. Thus the frozen section binding assay permits direct evaluation of leukocytemicrovascular adhesive interactions in inflamed tissues and suggests a prominent role for P-selectin in monocyte recruitment in vivo. (J. Clin. Invest. 1993.91:2609-2619

This study documents that a calcium-dependent phosphomannosyl-binding site on human lymphoid malignancies mediates attachment to the peripheral node high endothelial venule (PNHEV). The phorbol ester PMA coordinately upregulates lectin activity and binding to the PNHEV in the human T-lymphoblastic cell line Jurkat but not in the less phenotypically mature lines HSB2, Molt4, CEM, and HPB-ALL. In contrast, expression of CD18, CD2, and several common epitopes of the putative adhesion receptor gp90fIerme (CD44) did not correlate with attachment to PNHEV in this series of cell lines. Insensitivity to inhibition by the CD18 MAb TS 1.18, temperature and divalent cation requirements further distinguish the Jurkat-PNHEV adhesive interaction from CD11a/18-and CD2-mediated adhesion. The PMA-induced phenotypic changes in the Jurkat line parallel late thymocyte differentiation as well as lymphocyte activation, suggesting that expression of the endothelial-binding lectin may be linked to one or both of these processes. The lectin-like activity on Jurkat cells is functionally indistinguishable from those previously linked to PNHEV recognition in normal human lymphocytes, normal rat lymphocytes and both normal and malignant murine lymphoid cells. In the mouse, this activity is either contained in or functionally linked to a member of the LEC-CAM family gp9OMeIl4, suggesting that Jurkat cells express the human homologue of the murine nodal homing receptor. Thus cultured T lymphoblastic malignancies express a variety of potential endothelial adhesion molecules but use primarily a highly conserved surface lectin to interact with PNHEV.

By genetic engineering of human CR1 cDNA and its stable transfection into cells we have produced a cell line which expresses CR1 anchored to the cell surface by a glycolipid anchor. The glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol (GPI)-CR1 protects cells intrinsically from damage mediated by complement activated through the classical pathway. Cell surface GPI-CR1 is more efficient on a molar basis than soluble CR1 in the assay, but extrinsic protection of other cells was not obtained. Soluble CR1-protected cells extrinsically in the assay but was required at nearly ten fold higher amounts than the intrinsic protection conferred by GPI-anchored CR1. Additionally, GPI-CR1 was shown to act as a co-factor to Factor I in the generation of C3c from iC3b. Since GPI-anchored proteins can incorporate spontaneously into the membranes of living cells by virtue of their lipid tails, the isolated GPI-CR1 will be used to introduce CR1 on to the surfaces of many different types of cell so that its role in immunity can be further investigated.

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