The effect of herpesvirus infection on the expression of cell adhesion molecules on cultured human dermal microvascular endothelial cells

Cell-mediated immune response to herpes simplex virus (HSV) may be importan t in the pathogenesis of herpes keratitis, erythema multiforme or Behcet's disease. We examined whether herpesvirus infection regulates the expression of cell adhesion molecules on cultured human dermal microvascular endothel ial cells (HDMEC) and the regulation of T-lymphocytes binding to HDMEC. The expression of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell ad hesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1). or E-selectin on HDMEC increased significantly after treatment with HSV-1, HSV-2, or measles virus on HDMEC. Anti-IL-1 alp ha antibody or anti-TNF alpha antibody partially inhibited the expression o f ICAM-1, VCAM-1, or E-selectin on HDMEC. The binding of T-lymphocytes to H DMEC increased significantly after the treatment of HSV-1 or measles virus on HDMEC. The binding of T-lymphocytes to HDMEC was significantly inhibited after 16 h of incubation following treatment with anti-ICAM-1 antibody, an ti-IL-1 alpha antibody or anti-TNF alpha antibody to HDMEC. These study res ults suggest that HSV induces the increased expression of ICAM-1, or induct ion of VCAM-1 and E-selectin on HDMEC and that among these adhesion molecul es, the expression of ICAM-1 on HDMEC mainly regulates the binding of T-lym phocytes to HDMEC, The data also suggest that IL-1 alpha or TNF alpha which was produced by HSV infected HDMEC may be related to these events. (C) 200 0 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.