Evidence for involvement of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 in lymphocyte interaction with endothelium in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in the central nervous system in the SJL/J mouse.

We have investigated the expression of vascular adhesion molecules during the first stage of chronic inflammation in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in the SJL/J mouse. Immunocytochemical analysis of frozen sections of inflamed versus noninflamed brains and spinal cords showed that the vascular endothelium in brains and spinal cords from diseased animals expressed high levels of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) but no detectable mucosal addressin or peripheral lymph node addressin. In frozen section assays, anti-alpha 4 integrin and anti-VCAM-1 monoclonal antibodies inhibited binding of mouse peripheral lymphocytes to inflamed brains at both 4 C and 20 C. Antilymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 and anti-ICAM-1 monoclonal antibodies inhibited binding of mouse peripheral lymphocytes to inflamed brains at 20 C. These results are consistent with an important role for the vascular adhesion molecules VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 and for their lymphocytes receptors in lymphocyte recruitment to the central nervous system.