Up-regulation of lung vascular ICAM-1 in rats is complement dependent

Intrapulmonary deposition of IgG immune complexes in rats causes acute inflammatory lung injury that is neutrophil, complement, cytokines (IL-1, TNF-alpha), and intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM-1) dependent. In the current studies involving the same model of lung injury, complement depletion or complement blockade resulted in substantial reductions in up-regulation of pulmonary vascular ICAM-1, accompanied by reduced lung injury and neutrophil accumulation. Complement depletion neither reduced the amount of immune complex deposited in lung nor the TNF-alpha content in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids. In the same model of inflammatory lung injury, neutrophil depletion (which is highly protective) did not affect up-regulation of lung vascular ICAM-1. Up-regulation of lung vascular ICAM-1 by intratracheally administered TNF-alpha was also prevented by complement depletion. These studies indicate an unexpected in vivo relationship between complement and up-regulation of lung vascular ICAM-1.