HLA antigen expression on cultured human arterial endothelial cells

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Abstract
Flow cytometric analysis and cellular assays were used to determine constitutive and induced expression of class I HLA antigens and class II antigens encoded by the HLA‐DR, ‐DQ and ‐DP subregions on cultured human arterial endothelial cells (HAEC) derived from transplant donors. Class I but no or minimal quantities of class II HLA antigens were found on HAEC. Prior incubation of HAEC with γ‐IFN increased class I HLA antigen expression and induced class II HLA antigen expression on HAEC. The induced expression of HLA‐DQ was lower than that of HLA‐DR, but both were significantly reduced in comparison to the frequency of these antigens on EBV transformed lymphoblastoid cell lines derived from the same donor. In addition, supernatants from class I and class II alloreactive clones were shown to induce class II antigen expression on HAEC. By PLT analysis, it was shown that these antigens are functionally capable of generating a lymphocyte response. In this regard, HAEC have proved to be a helpful tool in designingin vitrolymphocyte‐endothelial cell studies.