Integrin expression at the bone/biomaterial interface

The aim of this study was to visualize integrin expression by cells in inte rface tissue in relation to their ligands. Tissue samples were obtained fro m 25 patients undergoing revision of aseptically loose total joint replacem ents. Serial sections were immunolabeled for the integrins alpha (2)beta (1 ) alpha (v)beta (3), alpha (4)beta (1) alpha (L)beta (2) (CD11a), alpha (M) beta (2) (CD11b), and alpha (x)beta (2) (CD11c), and the ligands fibronecti n, laminin, vitronectin, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, and vascular ad hesion molecule-1. Most cells were found to express alpha (2)beta (1) most macrophages and giant cells expressed CD11b, and the majority of CD11a was found on perivascular T lymphocytes. From the small amount of alpha (4)beta (1) and vascular adhesion molecule-1 expression in the interface tissue an d the combination of CD11a, CD11b, and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 ex pression, it would seem that macrophages use beta (2) integrins to transmig rate. (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.