ICAM-1 and P-selectin expression in a model of NSAID-induced gastropathy

A growing body of experimental evidence suggests that neutrophilic polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN)-endothelial cell interactions play a critical role in the pathophysiology of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)-induced gastropathy. The objective of this study was to directly determine whether the expression of endothelial cell adhesion molecules is enhanced in a model of NSAID-induced gastropathy. Gastropathy was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats via oral administration of indomethacin (Indo, 20 mg/kg). Lesion scores, blood-to-lumen clearance of 51Cr-EDTA (mucosal permeability), and histological analysis (epithelial necrosis) were used as indexes of gastric mucosal injury. Gastric mucosal vascular expression of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) or P-selectin were determined at 1 and 3 h after Indo administration using the dual radiolabeled monoclonal antibody (MAb) technique. For some experiments, a blocking MAb directed at either ICAM-1 (1A29) or P-selectin (RMP-1) or their isotype-matched controls was injected intravenously 10 min before Indo administration. We found that P-selectin expression was significantly increased at 1 h but not 3 h after Indo administration, whereas ICAM-1 expression was significantly increased at both 1 and 3 h after Indo treatment. The blocking ICAM-1 and P-selectin MAbs both inhibited Indo-induced increases in lesion score, mucosal permeability, and epithelial cell necrosis. However, the Indo-induced gastropathy was not associated with significant PMN infiltration into the gastric mucosal interstitium, nor did Indo reduce gastric mucosal blood flow. We propose that NSAID-induced gastric mucosal injury may be related to the expression of P-selectin and ICAM-1; however, this mucosal injury does not appear to be dependent on the extravasation of inflammatory cells or mucosal ischemia.