Introduction: In order to study the alterations of beta 1 and 2 integrins mRNA level in rat lumbar spinal cord following the induction of chronic pain and its effect on the development of tolerance to morphine analgesia, we examined the level of expression of these genes in the presence of chronic pain, which is an inhibitor of morphine tolerance. We used induction of chronic pain alone and ...

Recruitment of leukocytes from blood to tissue in inflammation requires the function of specific cell surface adhesion molecules. The objective of this study was to identify adhesion molecules that are involved in polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) locomotion in extravascular tissue in vivo. Extravasation and interstitial tissue migration of PMNs was induced in the rat mesentery by chemotactic s...

The integrin α4β1 (VLA-4) is used by encephalitogenic T cells to enter the central nervous system (CNS). However, both Th1 and Th17 cells are capable of inducing experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), and the molecular cues mediating the infiltration of Th1 versus Th17 cells into the CNS have not yet been defined. We investigated how blocking of α4 integrins affected trafficking of Th...

OBJECTIVE To phenotypically characterize cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTLs: Perforin+ and TIA-1+ phenotypes) and to study the interactions with cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). BACKGROUND DCM is linked to intramyocardial inflammation, being characterized by T-lymphocytic infiltration and CAMs abundance. However, the pathogenic significance of increased CD3+ lymphocy...

Cloned CD4 T cell lines that recognize the Ac1-16 peptide of myelin basic protein bound to I-A" were isolated and used to analyze the immunopathogeuesis of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). T helper type 1 (Thl) clones induced disease, while Th2 clones did not. Using variants of a single cloned Thl line, the surface expression of o~4 integrins (very late antigen 4 [VLA-4]) was id...

Cloned CD4 T cell lines that recognize the Ac1-16 peptide of myelin basic protein bound to I-Au were isolated and used to analyze the immunopathogenesis of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). T helper type 1 (Th1) clones induced disease, while Th2 clones did not. Using variants of a single cloned Th1 line, the surface expression of alpha 4 integrins (very late antigen 4 [VLA-4]) wa...

During their passage through the circulatory system, tumor cells undergo extensive interactions with various host cells including endothelial cells. The capacity of tumor cells to form metastasis is related to their ability to interact with and extravasate through endothelial cell layers, which involves multiple adhesive interactions between tumor cells and endothelium (EC). Thus it is essentia...

Four distinct epitopes (A, B1, B2, and C) have been functionally defined on the human alpha4 integrin. In this study, two cross-reactive antihuman alpha4 monoclonal antibodies (mAb) (HP2/1 and HP2/4 specific for epitopes B1 and B2, respectively) were used to functionally characterize the rat VLA-4 subunit and to define similar functional epitopes in this rodent species. It was found that B1 and...

The receptors for fibronectin (FN-R) and vitronectin (VN-R) belong to a family of integral membrane glycoproteins known to be involved in cell-extracellular matrix and cell-cell interactions named integrins (FN-R = beta 1 integrin and VN-R = beta 3 integrin). Adhesion studies using FN-coated plastic dishes and highly purified subpopulations of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) showed a...

Objective(s):To examine the expressions of CD11a, CD11b, and CD11c integrins in the myocardial tissues of rats with isoproterenol-induced myocardial hypertrophy. This study also provided morphological data to investigate the signal transduction mechanisms of myocardial hypertrophy and reverse it. Materials and Methods: A myocardial hypertrophy model was established by subcutaneously injecting i...