Leukotriene B4 increases the lymphocyte binding to endothelial cells.

Leukotrienes are potent mediators of local microvascular environment. Leukotriene B4 treatment of cultured endothelium increases the binding of lymphocytes to endothelial cell monolayers within minutes. This effect is dose-dependent and reversible upon removal of the leukotriene. Pretreatment of lymphocytes slightly decreases the binding and pretreatment of both lymphocytes and endothelium with leukotriene B4 prior to the adherence assay did not alter the binding. These results suggest that leukotriene B4 regulates exclusively the vascular side, but not the white cell side of this interaction.