Hydrogen peroxide-induced increase in endothelial adhesiveness is dependent on ICAM-1 activation

Reactive oxygen radicals (ROS) generated by phagocytes promote human polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) adhesion to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (EC). We determined the effects of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), a phagocyte-derived ROS, on EC adhesiveness by determining steady-state intracellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) mRNA and ICAM-1 protein expression. The adhesion of PMN to H2O2-treated EC was concentration dependent with maximal adhesion achieved at 0.1 mM H2O2. PMN adhesion occurred rapidly, reaching its maximum value within a 1-h treatment time. The PMN adhesion was dependent on the interaction between CD11/CD18 integrins on PMN and ICAM-1 on EC, since either anti-CD18 or anti-ICAM-1 monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) inhibited (by > 90%) the adhesive interaction between PMN and EC. In parallel with the increases in EC adhesivity, we detected a two- to threefold increase in EC surface expression of ICAM-1 between 0.5 and 1 h after H2O2 challenge. Northern analysis revealed an increase in the steady-state ICAM-1 mRNA signal within 0.5 h after H2O2 exposure, and the response was sustained up to 2 h. Inhibition of intracellular catalase in H2O2-treated EC by 3-amino-1,2,3-triazole augmented the PMN adhesion by 20%, whereas enhancement of EC H2O2-scavenging activity by addition of catalase abrogated the H2O2-induced PMN adhesion, indicating that oxidant-antioxidant balance at the EC interface is a critical factor modulating PMN-EC adhesive interactions. The results suggest that H2O2-induced PMN adhesion is dependent on the rapid induction of the ICAM-1 mRNA signal and the surface expression of ICAM-1 on EC.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)