E-selectin (endothelial-leukocyte adhesion molecule-1) is not required for the migration of neutrophils across IL-1-stimulated endothelium in vitro.

Treatment of vascular endothelial cells with inflammatory cytokines stimulates surface expression of E-selectin (previously known as endothelial-leukocyte adhesion molecule-1) and promotes the transendothelial migration of neutrophils. To assess participation of E-selectin in cytokine-mediated neutrophil migration, an in vitro model consisting of monolayers of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) grown on amniotic connective tissue was used. When HUVEC-amnion cultures were stimulated for 4 h with relatively low concentrations of IL-1 (0.1 to 0.15 U/ml), mAb BB11 or H18/7 to E-selectin partially inhibited migration of subsequently added neutrophils. However, when the cultures were stimulated with 15 U/ml of IL-1 for 4 or 24 h, little to no inhibition was observed. mAb to E-selectin also failed to inhibit migration of neutrophils across HUVEC-amnion cultures treated with low doses of IL-1 when the leukocytes were additionally stimulated by the chemoattractant leukotriene B4. In contrast, migration of neutrophils across IL-1-treated HUVEC was profoundly inhibited by mAb to CD11/CD18 leukocytic integrins under all conditions tested. Results of these studies suggest that participation of E-selectin is not essential for migration of neutrophils across cytokine-stimulated HUVEC in vitro; rather, E-selectin can be bypassed in favor of CD11/CD18-dependent mechanisms under appropriate circumstances.