The inhibitory effect of anti-adhesion molecule antibodies on eosinophil infiltration in cutaneous late phase response in Balb/c mice sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA).

In this study, we investigated the involvement of the adhesion molecules intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), very late activation antigen-4 (VLA-4), lymphocyte function-associated antigen 1 (LFA-1) and macrophage antigen-1 (Mac-1) on eosinophil infiltration in the cutaneous late phase response (LPR) in OVA-sensitized Balb/c mice by two approaches, immunostaining and inhibition assays with each monoclonal antibody. The eosinophil infiltration into the skin reached a peak at 12 hr after an intradermal challenge with OVA. Infiltrated eosinophils and mononuclear cells in the skin expressed Mac-1 (eosinophils: 38.9 +/- 1.55%, mononuclear cells: 51.2 +/- 2.15%), LFA-1 (eosinophils: 33.3 +/- 0.95%, mononuclear cells: 23.1 +/- 1.07%) and VLA-4 (eosinophils: 14.3 +/- 1.6%, mononuclear cells: 17.2 +/- 1.38%) at 12 h. Intraperitoneal administration of anti-mouse ICAM-1, VCAM-1, and VLA-4 monoclonal antibodies (mAb) before the challenge decreased the eosinophil infiltration by 66.2%, 61.0%, and 54.0%, respectively. On the other hand, pretreatment with anti-mouse LFA-1 mAb or Mac-1 mAb did not significantly decrease the infiltration. These results suggest that VCAM-1/VLA-4 interaction and ICAM-1 play important roles in eosinophil infiltration in cutaneous LPR.