ICAM-1-CD18 interaction mediates neutrophil cytotoxicity through protease release

Interaction of the beta2-integrin complex on the polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) with intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) has been implicated in PMN-mediated cytotoxicity. This study examined interaction of the CD11a, CD11b, and CD18 subunits of the beta2-integrin with ICAM-1, transfected into Chinese hamster ovarian (CHO) cells to avoid effects of other adhesion molecules. Incubation of quiescent PMNs with wild-type and ICAM-1-transfected CHO cells produced nominal cell lysis. Similarly, when phorbol myristate acetate (PMA)-activated PMNs were incubated with wild-type CHO cells, minimal cytotoxicity was produced. However, when ICAM-1-transfected CHO cells were incubated with PMA-activated PMNs, 40% cell lysis occurred. Blockade with a monoclonal antibody (MAb) to ICAM-1 or MAbs to CD11a, CD11b, or CD18 reduced PMN-mediated cytotoxicity to baseline. To examine the role of adhesion in cytotoxicity, we studied beta2-integrin-mediated PMN adhesion to ICAM-1-transfected CHO cells and found that MAbs for CD11a, CD11b, and CD18 all abrogated PMN cytotoxicity despite disparate effects on adhesion. To assess the role of CD18, beta2-integrin subunits were cross-linked, and CD18 alone mediated protease release. Moreover, ICAM-1 was immunoprecipitated from transfected CHO cells and incubated with PMNs. This soluble ICAM-1 provoked elastase release, similar to PMA, which could be inhibited by MAbs to CD18 but not MAbs to other beta2-integrin subunits. In addition, coincubation with protease inhibitors eglin C and AAPVCK reduced PMN-mediated cytotoxicity to control levels. Finally, ICAM-1-transfected CHO cells were exposed to activated PMNs from a patient with chronic granulomatous disease that caused significant cell lysis, equivalent to that of PMNs from normal donors. Collectively, these data suggest that ICAM-1 provokes PMN-mediated cytotoxicity via CD18-mediated protease release.