CXC chemokine receptor expression on human endothelial cells

CXC Chemokines play a important role in the process of leukocyte recruitmen t and activation at sites of inflammation. However, recent evidence suggest s that these molecules can also regulate endothelial cell functions such as migration, angiogenesis and proliferation, In this study we have investiga ted CXC chemokine receptor expression in both primary cultures of human umb ilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and the spontaneously transformed HUV EC cell line, ECV304, We found that both cell types express mRNA for chemok ine receptors CXCR1, CXCR2 and CXCR4, but not CXCR3, Flow cytometric analys is revealed low levels of CXCR1 but higher levels of CXCR4 cell surface exp ression. HUVECs responded to SDF-1 alpha with a rapid and robust calcium fl ux, however no calcium flux was seen with either IL-8 or Gro-alpha, HUVECs and ECV304 cells did not proliferate in response to CXC chemokines, althoug h ECV304 cells did migrate towards SDF-1 alpha and IL-8, These data demonst rate that HUVECs and the endothelial cell line, ECV304 express functional C XC chemokine receptors, (C) 1999 Academic Press.