Important contributions of P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1-mediated secondary capture to human monocyte adhesion to P-selectin, E-selectin, and TNF-alpha-activated endothelium under flow in vitro.

In this study, an in vitro flow model and a blocking mAb to P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 (PSGL-1) were used to define the role of PSGL-1 in monocyte attachment and rolling on E- and P-selectin and in attachment and accumulation on 6-h TNF-alpha-activated HUVEC. KPL1, an adhesion-blocking mAb directed against the tyrosine sulfate motif of PSGL-1, abolished monocyte-adhesive interactions with P-selectin, but only partially blocked monocyte interaction with E-selectin. Further analysis showed that on E-selectin, KPL1 blocked only secondary (i.e., monocyte/monocyte) interactions, but did not block primary (i.e., monocyte/E-selectin) interactions, with secondary adhesion accounting for 90% of the total adhesive interactions on either E- or P-selectin. On cytokine-activated HUVEC, monocytes initially attached and formed linear strings of adherent cells, which involved both primary and secondary adhesion. PSGL-1 or L-selectin mAb reduced string formation, and the combination of PSGL-1 and L-selectin mAb prevented monocyte strings and inhibited 86% of accumulation. Monocyte attachment and rolling on purified adherent monocytes were also critically dependent on PSGL-1 on the adherent monocytes. These studies document that secondary interactions between monocytes, mediated by PSGL-1, are crucial for monocyte initial attachment, rolling, and accumulation on activated endothelium under laminar shear flow.