Of the several families of adhesion receptors involved in leukocyte-endothelial cell interactions, only the selectins have been shown to initiate leukocyte interaction under physiologic shear; indeed, beta 2 (CD18) intergrins responsible for neutrophil arrest are unable to engage without prior selectin-mediated rolling. In contrast, alpha 4 (CD49d) integrins are shown here to initiate lymphocyte contract ("tethering") in vitro under shear and in the absence of a selectin contribution. The alpha 4 integrin ligands MAdCAM-1 and VCAM-1 support loose reversible interactions including rolling, as well as rapid sticking and arrest that is favored following integrin activation. Moreover, alpha 4 beta 7 mediates L-selectin (CD62L)-independent attachment of blood-borne lymphocytes to lamina propria venules in situ. Scanning electron microscopy of alpha 4 beta 7hi lymphoid cells reveals that, like L-selectin, alpha 4 beta 7 is highly concentrated on microvillous sites of initial cellular contact, whereas the beta 2 integrin LFA-1 is excluded from villi. Thus, alpha 4 but not beta 2 integrins can initiate leukocyte adhesion under flow, a capacity that may be in part a function of topographic presentation on microvilli.

The lectin homing receptor LECAM-1 (LAM-1, Leu8) and the P2 integrins, particularly Mac-i (CD11b/CD18), participate in leukocyte-endothelial cell interactions in inflammation. LECAM-1 is rapidly shed whileMac-i expression is dramatically increased upon neutrophil activation, suggesting functionally distinct roles for these molecules. Using intravital video microscopy, we have compared the effect of antibodies against LECAM-1 and CD18 on leukocyte interactions with rabbit mesenteric venules. Anti-LECAM-i monoclonal antibody and its Fab fragments inhibited initial reversible leukocyte rolling along the vascular wall.Anti-CD18 monoclonal antibody had no effect on rolling but prevented subsequent firm attachment of leukocytes to venular endothelium. Antibodies to CD18, the leukocyte integrin P2 chain, block firm attachment and diapedesis of neutrophils but have no effect on leukocyte rolling at normal venular shear rates (1). The surface molecules on leukocytes and endothelial cells that mediate rolling have not been defined. Rolling is attenuated by superoxide dismutase and action of oxygen-derived free radicals on endothelial cells may play a role in its induction (2,3). This unique event is calcium dependent (4) and can be inhibited by intravenous injection of neuraminidase but not sialic acid (5) and by some (but not all) polyanionic polysaccharides, such as dextran sulfate or heparin (6-9). These findings suggest a possible role for cell-surface adhesion receptors with affinity for charged carbohydrates.The leukocyte surface selectin/LEC-CAM LECAM-1 (LAM-1, Leu8), the peripheral lymph node homing receptor (10, 11), has been implicated in leukocyte interactions with activated endothelium in inflammation. The lectin domain in the extracellular portion of LECAM-1 contains many positively charged amino acids (12)(13)(14) and can interact with certain anionic carbohydrates (15). Anti-LECAM-1 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) block neutrophil binding to cytokine-activated endothelial cells in vitro, inhibiting an adhesion pathway that is independent of (2 integrin function (16, 17). Administration of anti-LECAM-1 mAbs or a soluble homing receptor-IgG chimeric molecule as well as removal of LECAM-1 from the cell surface dramatically reduces leukocyte extravasation into sites of acute inflammation in various inflammatory models (18-21). The finding that LECAM-1 is rapidly shed from the neutrophil surface in response to several cytokines in vivo (20, 21) and in vitro (22, 23) in conjunction with observations of a parallel increase in (2 integrin expression has led to the hypothesis that LECAM-1 might mediate early neutrophil adhesive events, preceding the role of activation-triggered (32 integrins (20)(21)(22)(23). Such early events might be involved in leukocyte rolling. The present studies were undertaken to examine the role of LECAM-1 in in situ leukocyte interactions with venular endothelium in the rabbit mesentery.MATERIALS AND METHODS Antibodies. mAb DREG-200, which reacts with a surface molecule on rabbit...

Circulating lymphocytes home to the mucosal lymphoid organs, Peyer's patches (PP), through high endothelial venules (HEV). In situ analyses revealed that transfused lymph node cells (LNCs) interact with PP-HEV in a series of overlapping adhesion events: L-selectin (CD62L) > alpha 4 beta 7 initiates interaction, L-selectin and alpha 4 beta 7 both participate in rolling, and G alpha i-linked activation triggers arrest that requires both alpha 4 beta 7 and LFA-1. alpha 4 beta 7 dramatically reduces rolling velocity, and appears to be required for engagement of LFA-1. In contrast with resting LNC, preactivated LNC or alpha 4 beta 7hi lymphoma cells require only alpha 4 beta 7 for arrest in PP-HEV. The predominant PP-HEV ligand for alpha 4 beta 7 but also apparently for L-selectin is the mucosal addressin MAd-CAM-1. These results validate the concept of multimolecular adhesion/decision cascades in physiologic lymphocyte-endothelial recognition, define a novel role for alpha 4 integrins as a "bridge" between selectin and beta 2 integrin-dependent events, and reemphasize the potential for direct adhesion through preactivated alpha 4 integrins alone.

An endothelial cell surface molecule that is selectively expressed in mucosal organs is required for lymphocyte homing to mucosal lymphoid tissues. This 'vascular addressin' appears to function as a tissue-specific marker or address signal for recognition by lymphocytes circulating in the blood.

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The L-selectin, a cell surface C-type lectin, directs lymphocyte traffic to lymph nodes, and contributes to lymphocyte homing to Peyer's patches and to leukocyte interactions with inflamed venules. Here we report that the mucosal vascular addressin MAdCAM-1, a mucosal endothelial adhesion molecule with immunoglobulin- and mucin-like domains, is a facultative ligand for L-selectin. MAdCAM-1 isolated from mesenteric lymph nodes, but not from cultured endothelioma cells, bears N-glycanase-resistant sialic acid-containing carbohydrate which supports adhesion of L-selectin-transfected lymphoid cells under shear. Interacting lymphoid cells display a 'rolling' behaviour similar to the selectin-dependent rolling of neutrophils observed in inflamed venules. MAdCAM-1 is also a ligand for the lymphocyte integrin homing receptor for Peyer's patches, alpha 4 beta 7 (ref. 7), and may be uniquely adapted to support both selectin-mediated lymphocyte rolling and integrin-mediated adhesion and arrest in vivo.

Abstract. The tissue-specific homing of lymphocytes is directed by specialized high endothelial venules (HEV). At least three functionally independent lymphocyte/HEV recognition systems exist, controlling the extravasation of circulating lymphocytes into peripheral lymph nodes, mucosal lymphoid tissues (Peyer's patches or appendix), and the synovium of inflamed joints. We report here that antibodies capable of inhibiting human lymphocyte binding to one or more HEV types recognize a common 85-95-kD lymphocyte surface glycoprotein antigen, defined by the nonblocking monoclonal antibody, Hermes-1. We demonstrate that MEL-14, a monoclonal antibody against putative lymph node "homing receptors" in the mouse, functionally inhibits human lymphocyte binding to lymph node HEV but not to mucosal or synovial HEV, and cross-reacts with the 85-95-kD Hermes-1 antigen. Furthermore, we show that Hermes-3, a novel antibody produced by immunization with Hermes-1 antigen isolated from a mucosal HEV-specific cell line, selectively blocks lymphocyte binding to mucosal HEV. Such tissue specificity of inhibition suggests that MEL-14 and Hermes-3 block the function of specific lymphocyte recognition elements for lymph node and mucosal HEV, respectively. Recognition of synovial HEV also involves the 85-95-kD Hermes-1 antigen, in that a polyclonal antiserum produced against the isolated antigen blocks all three classes of lymphocyte-HEV interaction. From these studies, it is likely that the Hermes-l-defined 85-95-kD glycoprotein class either comprises a family of related but functionally independent receptors for HEV, or associates both physically and functionally with such receptors. The findings imply that related molecular mechanisms are involved in several functionally independent cell-cell recognition events that direct lymphocyte traffic.

We describe a 90-kDa lymphocyte surface glycoprotein, recognized by the monoclonal antibody Hermes-1, that is involved in endothelial cell recognition and lymphocyte trafficking in man. This molecule is selectively expressed on normal or transformed lymphoid cells that are able to recognize and bind to high endothelial venules (HEV, specialized vessels that mediate lymphocyte exit from the blood into lymphoid organs); appears to be linked to HEV recognition function since, in fluorescence-activated cell sorting of variants of a cloned cell line, HEV binding ability co-selects with the Hermes-1 antigen; bears the predominant cell surface epitopes recognized by heterologous anti-human lymphocyte antibodies able to interfere with lymphocyte binding to HEV; and is structurally similar to a previously described mouse lymphocyte surface receptor for HEV. These findings demonstrate that the molecule defined by Hermes-1 either functions as a specific lymphocyte surface receptor for HEV, or is both precisely coregulated and physically and/or functionally associated with such receptors. The expression of this putative receptor for HEV on normal human lymphocyte populations parallels, and thus presumably helps determine, their migratory status in vivo. Hermes-1 should be a powerful tool for analyzing the role of endothelial cell recognition in the traffic of normal and neoplastic human lymphocytes.