Effect of vascular endothelial growth factor and its receptor KDR on the transendothelial migration and local trafficking of human T cells in vitro and in vivo

Blood. 2010 Sep 16;116(11):1980-9. doi: 10.1182/blood-2009-11-252460. Epub 2010 Jun 10.

Abstract

In these studies, we find that the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor KDR is expressed on subsets of mitogen-activated CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells in vitro. We also found that KDR colocalizes with CD3 on mitogen-activated T cells in vitro and on infiltrates within rejecting human allografts in vivo. To evaluate whether VEGF and KDR mediate lymphocyte migration across endothelial cells (ECs), we used an in vitro live-time transmigration model and observed that both anti-VEGF and anti-KDR antibodies inhibit the transmigration of both CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells across tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα)-activated, but not unactivated ECs. In addition, we found that interactions among CD4(+) or CD8(+) T cells and TNFα-activated ECs result in the induction of KDR on each T cell subset, and that KDR-expressing lymphocytes preferentially transmigrate across TNFα-activated ECs. Finally, using a humanized severe combined immunodeficient mouse model of lymphocyte trafficking, we found that KDR-expressing lymphocytes migrate into human skin in vivo, and that migration is reduced in mice treated with a blocking anti-VEGF antibody. These observations demonstrate that induced expression of KDR on subsets of T cells, and locally expressed VEGF, facilitate EC-dependent lymphocyte chemotaxis, and thus, the localization of T cells at sites of inflammation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies / immunology
  • Antibodies / pharmacology
  • Biological Transport / drug effects
  • Biological Transport / physiology
  • Blotting, Western
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / cytology
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / cytology
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • Cell Movement / drug effects
  • Cell Movement / physiology*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Endothelial Cells / cytology
  • Endothelial Cells / metabolism
  • Endothelium, Vascular / metabolism
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Foreskin / metabolism
  • Foreskin / transplantation
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, SCID
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence
  • RNA Interference
  • Skin Transplantation
  • T-Lymphocytes / cytology
  • T-Lymphocytes / metabolism*
  • Transplantation, Heterologous
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / pharmacology
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / genetics
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / immunology
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / metabolism*
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / genetics
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / immunology
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / metabolism*

Substances

  • Antibodies
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2