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Quantitation of Endothelial Cell Adhesiveness In Vitro
Published on: June 18, 2015
In vitro cell aggregation and cell adhesion molecules in Crohn's disease
L Mishra1, B B Mishra, M Harris
1Department of Gastroenterology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.
Gastroenterology
|March 1, 1993
Summary
Researchers developed an in vitro model to study Crohn's disease granulomas. The size of these cell aggregates correlates with disease activity, suggesting a role for cell adhesion molecules in granuloma formation.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Gastroenterology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Understanding Crohn's disease pathogenesis is limited by the absence of suitable models for inflammation and granuloma formation.
- Granulomas are key pathological features in Crohn's disease, but their in vivo formation mechanisms remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and characterize an in vitro model of granuloma formation using peripheral blood mononuclear cells.
- To assess the correlation between the size of in vitro aggregates and the clinical activity of Crohn's disease.
- To investigate the role of cell adhesion molecules in the formation of these in vitro granuloma-like structures.
Main Methods:
- Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were cultured with polyacrylamide beads to form granuloma-like aggregates.
- Morphological and immunohistological analyses were performed on the in vitro aggregates.
- Blocking antibodies against specific cell adhesion molecules (LFA-2, LFA-3, Mac-1) were used to assess their role in aggregate formation.
- The size of in vitro aggregates was correlated with clinical disease activity.
Main Results:
- In vitro aggregates exhibited gross morphology and immunohistological features similar to in vivo Crohn's disease granulomas.
- A significant correlation was observed between the size of in vitro aggregates and the clinical activity of Crohn's disease (P < 0.001).
- Blocking antibodies against leukocyte function associated antigen LFA-2 (CD2), LFA-3 (CD58), and Mac-1 (CD11b/CD18) significantly inhibited in vitro aggregate formation.
Conclusions:
- The developed in vitro system effectively models the size and organization of in vivo granulomas found in Crohn's disease.
- Cell adhesion molecules, including CD2, CD58, and CD11b/CD18, are implicated in the process of granuloma formation in Crohn's disease.
- This model provides a valuable tool for further research into the molecular mechanisms underlying Crohn's disease pathogenesis.
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