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Increased transendothelial migration of scleroderma lymphocytes.
G H Stummvoll1, M Aringer, J Grisar
1Department of Rheumatology, Internal Medicine III, Unviersity of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases
|April 15, 2004
Summary
Transendothelial migration of CD4+ T lymphocytes is enhanced in patients with scleroderma (SSc), with these cells showing an activated phenotype. This suggests a role for activated lymphocytes in SSc pathogenesis and lesion formation.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Pathophysiology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- CD4+ T lymphocytes are implicated in scleroderma (SSc) pathogenesis, often found in skin lesions.
- Overexpressed adhesion molecules in SSc may influence lymphocyte-endothelial cell interactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the in vitro transendothelial migration capacity of peripheral lymphocytes in SSc patients.
Main Methods:
- Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were cultured on collagen.
- Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from SSc patients and healthy controls (HC) were added.
- Lymphocyte subsets, activation markers, and adhesion molecules were analyzed via fluorocytometry before and after migration.
Main Results:
- SSc PBMC exhibited significantly higher migration (13%) compared to HC PBMC (5%).
- Increased migration in SSc was mainly due to CD4+ T lymphocytes, resulting in a higher CD4/CD8 ratio among migrated cells.
- Migrated SSc CD4+ T lymphocytes showed increased HLA-DR expression and high expression of adhesion molecules (CD11a, CD49d, CD29, CD44).
Conclusions:
- Transendothelial migration of CD4+ T lymphocytes is enhanced in SSc.
- Migrating lymphocytes in SSc display an activated phenotype, suggesting their contribution to perivascular infiltrates.