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The peripheral B cell compartment is maintained by homeostatic proliferation and through replenishment by bone marrow precursors. Because hematopoietic stem cells cycle at a slow rate, replenishment must involve replication of precursor B cells. To study proliferation of early human B cell progenitors, we established a feeder cell-free in vitro system allowing the development of B cells from CD34(+) hematopoietic stem cells up to the stage of immature IgM(+) B cells. We found that pro-B and pre-B cells generated in vitro can proliferate autonomously and persist up to 7 wk in culture in the absence of signals induced by exogenously added cytokines. Nevertheless, addition of IL-7 enhanced pre-B cell expansion and inhibited maturation into IgM(+) B cells. The B cell precursor subsets replicating in vitro were highly similar to the bone marrow B cell precursors cycling in vivo. The autonomous proliferation of B cell precursor subsets in vitro and their long-term persistence implies that proliferation during pro-B and pre-B cell stages plays an important role in the homeostasis of the peripheral B cell compartment. Our in vitro culture can be used to study defects in B cell development or in reconstitution of the B cell pool after depletion and chemotherapy.

In acute neuroinflammatory states such as meningitis, neutrophils cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and contribute to pathological alterations of cerebral function. The mechanisms that govern neutrophil migration across the BBB are ill defined. Using live-cell imaging, we show that LPS-stimulated BBB endothelium supports neutrophil arrest, crawling, and diapedesis under physiological flow in vitro. Investigating the interactions of neutrophils from wild-type, CD11a(-/-), CD11b(-/-), and CD18(null) mice with wild-type, junctional adhesion molecule-A(-/-), ICAM-1(null), ICAM-2(-/-), or ICAM-1(null)/ICAM-2(-/-) primary mouse brain microvascular endothelial cells, we demonstrate that neutrophil arrest, polarization, and crawling required G-protein-coupled receptor-dependent activation of β2 integrins and binding to endothelial ICAM-1. LFA-1 was the prevailing ligand for endothelial ICAM-1 in mediating neutrophil shear resistant arrest, whereas Mac-1 was dominant over LFA-1 in mediating neutrophil polarization on the BBB in vitro. Neutrophil crawling was mediated by endothelial ICAM-1 and ICAM-2 and neutrophil LFA-1 and Mac-1. In the absence of crawling, few neutrophils maintained adhesive interactions with the BBB endothelium by remaining either stationary on endothelial junctions or displaying transient adhesive interactions characterized by a fast displacement on the endothelium along the direction of flow. Diapedesis of stationary neutrophils was unchanged by the lack of endothelial ICAM-1 and ICAM-2 and occurred exclusively via the paracellular pathway. Crawling neutrophils, although preferentially crossing the BBB through the endothelial junctions, could additionally breach the BBB via the transcellular route. Thus, β2 integrin-mediated neutrophil crawling on endothelial ICAM-1 and ICAM-2 is a prerequisite for transcellular neutrophil diapedesis across the inflamed BBB.

CD99-like 2 (CD99L2) is a membrane protein with moderate sequence homology to CD99, which initiates cell aggregation of transfected cells and that is strongly expressed on endothelial cells, neutrophils, and lymphocytes. We showed recently that Abs against CD99L2 inhibit neutrophil, but not T lymphocyte, recruitment into inflamed tissues. In this study, we have generated conditional gene-deficient mice for CD99L2 and show by analyzing them in various inflammation models several results. First, gene ablation of CD99L2 impairs neutrophil recruitment into inflamed cremaster and peritoneum. Second, despite the strong expression of CD99L2 on peripheral neutrophils, only gene ablation on endothelial cells but not on myeloid cells affects neutrophil extravasation. Third, in contrast to our previous Ab-based results, recruitment of activated T cells into inflamed skin was impaired in mice lacking CD99L2 on endothelial cells. We conclude that CD99L2 is an essential endothelial Ag for leukocyte extravasation, which does not require homophilic interactions with CD99L2 on leukocytes.

The cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycan syndecan-1 (CD138) modulates the activity of chemokines, cytokines, integrins, and other adhesion molecules which play important roles in the regulation of inflammation. We have previously shown that syndecan-1-deficient murine leukocytes display increased interactions with endothelial cells and increased diapedesis in vivo and in vitro. In this study, we demonstrate that syndecan-1 has an important function as a negative modulator in the murine contact allergy model of oxazolone-mediated delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH). Following elicitation of the DTH response, syndecan-1-deficient mice showed an increase in leukocyte recruitment, resulting in an increased and prolonged edema formation. Expression of the cytokines TNF-alpha and IL-6 of the chemokines CCL5/RANTES and CCL-3/MIP-1alpha and of the adhesion molecule ICAM-1 were significantly increased in syndecan-1-deficient compared with wild-type mice. In wild-type mice, syndecan-1 mRNA and protein expression was reduced during the DTH response. The differentially increased adhesion of syndecan-1-deficient leukocytes to ICAM-1 was efficiently inhibited in vitro by CD18-blocking Abs, which emerges as one mechanistic explanation for the anti-inflammatory effects of syndecan-1. Collectively, our results show an important role of syndecan-1 in the contact DTH reaction, identifying syndecan-1 as a novel target in anti-inflammatory therapy.

In multiple sclerosis and in its animal model experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), inflammatory cells migrate across the endothelial blood-brain barrier (BBB) and gain access to the CNS. It is well-established that alpha4 integrins are actively involved in leukocyte recruitment across the BBB during EAE. In contrast, the role of endothelial E- and P-selectin in this process has been a controversial issue. In this study, we demonstrate that P-selectin protein can be detected in meningeal blood vessel endothelial cells in healthy SJL and C57BL/6 mice and on rare parenchymal CNS blood vessels in C57BL/6, but not SJL, mice. During EAE, expression of P-selectin but not E-selectin was found up-regulated on inflamed CNS microvessels surrounded by inflammatory infiltrates irrespective of their meningeal or parenchymal localization with a more prominent immunostaining detected in C57BL/6 as compared with SJL mice. P-selectin immunostaining could be localized to CNS endothelial cells and to CD41-positive platelets adhering to the vessel wall. Despite the presence of P-selectin in wild-type mice, E/P-selectin-deficient SJL and C57BL/6 mice developed clinical EAE indistinguishable from wild-type mice. Absence of E- and P-selectin did neither influence the activation of myelin-specific T cells nor the composition of the cellular infiltrates in the CNS during EAE. Finally, endothelial-specific tetracycline-inducible expression of E-selectin at the BBB in transgenic C57BL/6 mice did not alter the development of EAE. Thus, E- and P-selectin are not required for leukocyte recruitment across the BBB and the development of EAE in C57BL/6 and in SJL mice.

Dendritic cells (DCs) have a key role in both the generation of the immune response and the induction of tolerance to self-Ags. In this work, the possible role of P-selectin glycoprotein ligand 1 (PSGL-1) on the tolerogenic activity of human DCs was explored. We found that the engagement of PSGL-1 by P-selectin on DCs induced the expression of c-Fos, IDO, IL-10, and TGF-beta genes. Remarkably, stimulation of DCs through PSGL-1 with P-selectin enhanced their capability to generate CD4(+)CD25(+)Foxp3(+) regulatory T cells, which expressed high levels of TGF-beta1 mRNA, synthesized IL-10, and suppressed the proliferation of autologous CD4(+)CD25(-) T cells. Accordingly, we found that DCs from PSGL-1(-/-) mice expressed higher levels of MHC class II molecules, and exhibited an enhanced immunogenicity compared with wild-type mice. In addition, the percentage of CD4(+)CD25(+)Foxp3(+) regulatory T cells in the thymus of PSGL-1-deficient animals was significantly reduced. Our data reveal an unexpected role of PSGL-1 on the tolerogenic function of DCs, and the regulation of the immune response.

In multiple sclerosis and in its animal model experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), inflammatory cells migrate across the endothelial blood-brain barrier and gain access to the CNS. The involvement of P-selectin glycoprotein ligand 1 (PSGL-1) and of its major endothelial ligand P-selectin in this process have been controversial. In this study we demonstrate that although encephalitogenic T cells express functional PSGL-1, which can bind to soluble and immobilize P-selectin if presented in high concentrations, PSGL-1 is not involved T cell interaction with P-selectin expressing brain endothelial cells in vitro. Furthermore, neither anti-PSGL-1 Abs nor the lack of PSGL-1 in PSGL-1-deficient mice inhibits the recruitment of inflammatory cells across the blood-brain barrier or the development of clinical EAE. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that PSGL-1 is not required for the pathogenesis of EAE.

Epicutaneous application of haptens to UV-exposed skin induces hapten-specific tolerance. This is mediated via regulatory T cells (Tr), as i.v. injection of T cells from UV-tolerized mice into naive animals renders the recipients unresponsive to the respective hapten. However, when UV-induced Tr are injected i.v. into sensitized mice, contact hypersensitivity (CHS) is not suppressed, suggesting that Tr inhibit the induction, but not the elicitation, of CHS and are inferior to T effector cells. As sensitization takes place in the lymph nodes, but elicitation occurs in the area of challenge, we postulated that Tr injected i.v. locate to the lymph nodes and not to the periphery and therefore only suppress the induction, not the elicitation, of CHS. Indeed, i.v. injection of Tr into sensitized mice did not inhibit CHS, although injection of Tr into the ears of sensitized mice suppressed the challenge. Inhibition was hapten specific, as injection of dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB)-specific Tr into the ears of oxazolone (OXA)-sensitized mice did not affect challenge with OXA. However, when ears of OXA-sensitized mice were injected with DNFB-specific Tr and painted with DNFB before OXA challenge, CHS was suppressed. Inhibition correlated with the local expression of IL-10. Depletion studies and FACS analysis revealed that Tr express the lymph node-homing receptor L-selectin, but not the ligands for the skin-homing receptors E- and P-selectin, suggesting that UV-induced Tr, although able to inhibit T effector cells, do not suppress the elicitation of CHS upon i.v. injection, because they obviously do not migrate into the skin.

Lymphocyte recruitment into the brain is a critical event in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. We developed a novel intravital microscopy model to directly analyze through the skull the interactions between lymphocytes and the endothelium in cerebral venules of mice. No adhesive interactions were observed between lymphocytes and the nonactivated endothelium in the cerebral microcirculation. When brain venules were activated by pretreating mice with TNF-alpha or LPS, proteolipid protein 139-151 autoreactive T lymphocytes rolled and arrested; notably, only a few peripheral lymph node cells rolled and firmly adhered. Abs anti-P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 and anti-E- and P-selectin blocked tethering and rolling of autoreactive lymphocytes, suggesting that P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1/endothelial selectins are critical in the recruitment of lymphocytes in inflamed brain venules. E- and P-selectin were expressed on cerebral vessels upon in vivo activation and had a patchy distribution during the preclinical phase of active and passive experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. LFA-1/ICAM-1 and alpha(4) integrins/VCAM-1 supported rolling, but were not relevant to rolling velocity. Firm arrest was mainly mediated by LFA-1 and ICAM-1. Pretreatment of autoreactive lymphocytes with pertussis toxin blocked integrin-dependent arrest, implicating a requirement for G(i) protein-dependent signaling in vessels from nonlymphoid districts. In conclusion, our data unveils the molecular mechanisms controlling the recruitment of autoreactive lymphocytes in inflamed cerebral vessels and suggest new insights into the pathogenesis of autoimmune inflammatory diseases of the CNS.

Sialoadhesin (Siglec-1) is a macrophage-restricted sialic acid-binding receptor that mediates interactions with hemopoietic cells, including lymphocytes. In this study, we identify sialoadhesin counterreceptors on T lymphocytes. Several major glycoproteins (85, 130, 240 kDa) were precipitated by sialoadhesin-Fc fusion proteins from a murine T cell line (TK-1). Binding of sialoadhesin to these glycoproteins was sialic acid dependent and was abolished by mutation of a critical residue (R97A) of the sialic acid binding site in the membrane distal Ig-like domain of sialoadhesin. The 130- and 240-kDa sialoadhesin-binding glycoproteins were identified as the sialomucins CD43 and P-selectin glycoprotein ligand 1 (CD162), respectively. CD43 expressed in COS cells supported increased binding to immobilized sialoadhesin. Finally, sialoadhesin bound different glycoforms of CD43 expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells, including unbranched (core 1) and branched (core 2) O:-linked glycans, that are normally found on CD43 in resting and activated T cells, respectively. These results identify CD43 as a T cell counterreceptor for sialoadhesin and suggest that in addition to its anti-adhesive role CD43 may promote cell-cell interactions.

On inflamed endothelium selectins support neutrophil capture and rolling that leads to firm adhesion through the activation and binding of beta 2 integrin. The primary mechanism of cell activation involves ligation of chemotactic agonists presented on the endothelium. We have pursued a second mechanism involving signal transduction through binding of selectins while neutrophils tether in shear flow. We assessed whether neutrophil rolling on E-selectin led to cell activation and arrest via beta 2integrins. Neutrophils were introduced into a parallel plate flow chamber having as a substrate an L cell monolayer coexpressing E-selectin and ICAM-1 (E/I). At shears >/=0.1 dyne/cm2, neutrophils rolled on the E/I. A step increase to 4.0 dynes/cm2 revealed that approximately 60% of the interacting cells remained firmly adherent, as compared with approximately 10% on L cells expressing E-selectin or ICAM-1 alone. Cell arrest was dependent on application of shear and activation of Mac-1 and LFA-1 to bind ICAM-1. Firm adhesion was inhibited by blocking E-selectin, L-selectin, or PSGL-1 with Abs and by inhibitors to the mitogen-activated protein kinases. A chimeric soluble E-selectin-IgG molecule specifically bound sialylated ligands on neutrophils and activated adhesion that was also inhibited by blocking the mitogen-activated protein kinases. We conclude that neutrophils rolling on E-selectin undergo signal transduction leading to activation of cell arrest through beta 2 integrins binding to ICAM-1.

Previous data suggested a role of endothelial selectins in skin homing of lymphocytes. In the current study, we have analyzed the expression and functional role of E-and P-selectin ligands on CD4+ T cells induced in vivo upon skin sensitization, using soluble selectin-Ig chimera and blocking Abs. Only low numbers of CD4+ cells expressing significant levels of E- or P-selectin ligands were present in s.c. lymph nodes of untreated mice (0.5-1.5% and 2-4%, respectively). Induction of a delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction increased the percentage of E-selectin-binding CD4+ cells in the draining lymph nodes up to 6 to 9% and that of P-selectin-binding cells up to 14%. The majority of E- and P-selectin-binding cells displayed an activated phenotype as judged by the increase in IL-2R, CD71, or cell size. The populations of E- and P-selectin-binding cells were largely overlapping; all E-selectin-binding cells also bound to P-selectin, whereas only a subfraction of P-selectin-binding cells reacted with E-selectin. Both E- and P-selectin-binding CD4+ cells, isolated by FACS, efficiently migrated into inflamed, but not normal skin, whereas P- or E-selectin ligand-negative CD4+ T cells did not. Abs against one of the two endothelial selectins partially inhibited the entry of isolated, ligand-positive cells, whereas a combination of Abs against both selectins almost completely abrogated skin homing. These data indicate that the expression of functional ligands for E- and for P-selectin is essential for homing of CD4+ T cells into the inflamed skin.

We compared E-selectin-binding cell surface ligands on bovine gamma delta T cells and human leukocytes using an E-selectin/Ig chimera. The chimera worked well in flow cytometric studies and showed that bovine gamma delta T cells were the only lymphocyte population in newborn animals that bound E-selectin chimera. Furthermore, the chimera blocked gamma delta T cell rolling on E-selectin. Chimera reacted with four potential glycoprotein ligands of 180, 200, 250, and 300 kDa in Western blot analysis of gamma delta T cell detergent lysates, and it specifically precipitated at least two of these E-selectin ligands (200 and 250 kDa) from lysates of cell surface biotinylated gamma delta T cells. Preclearing bovine gamma delta lysates of GD3.5 Ag and workshop cluster 1 did not abrogate E-selectin ligand precipitation, suggesting that these surface markers do not represent E-selectin ligands. Human neutrophils possessed three E-selectin-binding ligands of approximately 80 to 90, 130, and 230 kDa, while human lymphocytes variably possessed three ligands of 120, approximately 220 to 240, and 260 kDa. Cross-precipitation experiments confirmed the results of others that neutrophil L-selectin serves as the 80 to 90-kDa E-selectin ligand. The human lymphocyte approximately 220 to 240-kDa and 260-kDa ligands may be analogous to the bovine gamma delta T cell molecules, whereas the 120-kDa is unique to human cells. The identities of the human and bovine lymphocyte E-selectin ligands are unknown. Finally, E-selectin ligand-1 apparently may have a minimal role, if any, in lymphocyte/E-selectin interactions, since a polyclonal anti-E-selectin ligand-1 serum stained a minimal number of cutaneous lymphocyte-associated Ag-positive human lymphocytes and bovine gamma delta T cells.

Cobra venom factor (CVF) induces lung injury through oxidant- and neutrophil-dependent mechanisms. Adhesion molecules, particularly L-selectin, P-selectin, CD11/CD18, and ICAM-1, are required for full expression of injury in rats. This study compared the roles of P-selectin and ICAM-1 using either mutant mice or blocking Abs. Mice deficient in either P-selectin, ICAM-1, or both adhesion molecules were compared with wild-type mice. Wild-type and single mutant mice were given Abs against murine P-selectin or ICAM-1. CVF was injected i.v., and neutrophil sequestration and extravascular albumin were measured 30 min later. Neither P-selectin, ICAM-1, nor P-selectin/ICAM-1 double mutants showed a reduction in neutrophil sequestration or lung injury when compared with wild-type mice. Anti-P-selectin Abs inhibited both sequestration and injury in wild-type mice by 57% and 60%, respectively, but had no effect in P-selectin mutants. Similar results were found using anti-ICAM-1 Ab in wild-type mice (78% inhibition of sequestration and 88% inhibition of injury) and ICAM-1 mutant mice (no reduction). These results suggest that the apparent role of these molecules in CVF-induced lung injury depends on the method used to block function. When studied using blocking Abs, both P-selectin and ICAM-1 were required for neutrophil sequestration and lung injury, while neither played a role singly or together when studied using mice with genetic deletions. Abs may inhibit neutrophil sequestration and lung injury through mechanisms other than simply adhesion blockade, or mutant mice may utilize alternative adhesion pathways.

Stimulation of leukocyte adhesion to the endothelium by TNF is mediated by the up-regulation of adhesion molecules on the endothelial cell surface. C57BL/6 mice and syngenic 55-kDa TNF receptor-deficient mice (TNFRp55-/- mice) were challenged with TNF, and the kinetics of intracellular adhesion molecule-1, ICAM-1, mucosal addressin cell adhesion molecule-1, vascular adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), and E-selectin expression were examined in various organs. TNF induced sustained VCAM-1 expression within 4 h in lung, liver, and kidney. In the lungs, but not in other organs, transient E-selectin expression was induced by TNF within 0.5 h and peaked at 4 h. The TNF-induced expression of VCAM-1 and E-selectin was found to be exclusively controlled by the 55-kDa TNF-receptor (TNFRp55) as demonstrated by analysis of TNFRp55-/- mice. Furthermore, TNF triggered mononuclear cell and neutrophil infiltration of lung, liver, and kidney in C57BL/6 mice but not TNFRp55-/- mice. Interestingly, MAdCAM-1 expression in the marginal sinus of the spleen was detected in wild-type mice but was absent in TNFRp55-/- mice. Together, the data suggest that in vivo the 55-kDa TNF receptor mediates the induction of VCAM-1 and E-selectin expression and is critically involved in the control of leukocyte organ infiltration.