THE EXPRESSION OF P-SELECTIN IN INFLAMMATORY AND NONINFLAMMATORY LUNG-TISSUE

An initial attachment of leucocytes to blood vessel walls is mediated by selectins. A feature of adhesion mediated by P-selectin is the ''ro lling'' of leucocytes on the endothelium. The time dependent expressio n of p-selectin in lung tissue was investigated in five groups of case s with different causes of death: carbon-monoxide and cyanide intoxica tion (n = 11), drowning (n = 5), hanging (n = 9), pneumonia (n = 13) a nd polytrauma with blunt thorax trauma (n = 14). In paraffin-embedded archival specimens immunostaining was achieved using an adapted APAAP- immunoperoxidase technique together with a wet autoclave method. P-sel ectin detection was scored by a semiquantitative method evaluating the intensity and incidence of positively stained endothelial cells. The distribution pattern of endothelial P-selectin of blood vessels in cas es of pneumonia and septic shock were heterogenius and weak. In one ca se with lung contusion (survival time 3 h) moderate infiltrates of gra nulocytes were found near to septal and subpleural hemorrhages. In the se inflammatory areas the positive endothelial immunostaining of small vessels was often weaker than in other lung segments or compared to t he intensely stained platelets in corresponding vessels.