The α4β1 (Very Late Antigen (VLA)-4, CD49d/CD29) and α5β1 (VLA-5, CD49e/CD29) Integrins Mediate β2 (CD11/CD18) Integrin-Independent Neutrophil Recruitment to Endotoxin-Induced Lung Inflammation

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Abstract
The β2 integrin cell adhesion molecules (CAM) mediate polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMNL) emigration in most inflamed tissues, but, in the lung, other yet to be identified CAMs appear to be involved. In Lewis rats, the intratracheal injection of Escherichia coli-LPS induced acute (6-h) PMNL accumulation in the lung parenchyma (280 × 106 by myeloperoxidase assay; PBS control = 35 × 106) and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF = 27 × 106; PBS = 0.1 × 106). Parenchymal accumulation was not inhibited by a blocking Ab to β2 integrins and only minimally inhibited (20.5%; p < 0.05) in BALF. We examined the role of α4β1 and α5β1 integrins and of selectins in this PMNL recruitment. Treatment with mAbs to α4β1 or α5β1, even in combination, had no effect on PMNL accumulation induced by intratracheal LPS. However, anti-α4 combined with anti-β2 mAbs inhibited PMNL recruitment to the parenchyma by 56% (p < 0.001) and to BALF by 58% (p < 0.01). The addition of anti-α5 mAb to β2 plus α4 blockade inhibited PMNL accumulation further (by 79%; p < 0.05). In contrast, blockade of L-, P-, and E-selectins in combination or together with β2, α4, and α5 integrins had no effect. LPS-induced BALF protein accumulation was not inhibited by treatment with anti-β2 plus α4 mAbs, but was prevented when α5β1 was also blocked. Thus, while selectins appear to play no role, α4β1 and α5β1 function as major alternate CAMs to the β2 integrins in mediating PMNL migration to lung and to pulmonary vascular and epithelial permeability.