Immune complexes mediate rapid alterations in microvascular permeability: roles for neutrophils, complement, and platelets.

OBJECTIVE: Immune complex-induced responses involve multiple cellular and molecular mechanisms. However, how these pathways interact in the initiation of immune complex-induced response is poorly understood. Therefore the aim of this study was to investigate the immediate response of the microvasculature to immune complex formation. METHODS: The reverse passive Arthus (RPA) model was applied to the mouse cremaster muscle. Intravital microscopy was used to examine alterations in florescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-dextran leakage from microvessels, and endothelial interactions of leukocytes and platelets in postcapillary venules. RESULTS: Immune complex deposition induced rapid increases in microvascular permeability and leukocyte adhesion and emigration. Inhibition of platelet-activating factor (PAF) and leukotrienes inhibited the increase in permeability. Depletion of C3 reduced immune complex-mediated leukocyte recruitment and permeability, and a similar effect on permeability was observed following inhibition of leukocyte adhesion. Mast cell stabilization reduced increases in leukocyte adhesion and emigration but accelerated the increase in microvascular permeability. Platelet-endothelial interactions also increased during the RPA response, and platelet depletion delayed the changes in permeability and inhibited leukocyte recruitment. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that immune complexes induce a rapid induction of complement-dependent leukocyte recruitment, and neutrophil-dependent microvascular dysfunction. Furthermore, this study identifies a role for platelets in promoting immune complex-induced leukocyte recruitment.

Immune complexes alter cerebral microvessel permeability: roles of complement and leukocyte adhesion.

Immune complexes (ICs) are potent inflammatory mediators in peripheral tissues. However, very few studies have examined the ability of ICs to induce inflammatory responses in the brain. Therefore, using preformed ICs or the reverse passive Arthus (RPA) model to localize ICs to the pial microvasculature of mice, we aimed to investigate the ability of ICs to induce an inflammatory response in the cerebral (pial) microvasculature. Application of preformed ICs immediately increased pial microvascular permeability, with a minimal change in leukocyte adhesion in pial postcapillary venules. In contrast, initiation of the RPA response in the pial microvasculature induced changes in cerebral microvascular permeability and increased leukocyte adhesion in pial postcapillary venules. The RPA response induced deposition of C3 in perivascular regions adjacent to sites of IC formation. Depletion of C3 abrogated RPA-induced microvascular permeability and leukocyte adhesion, indicating that the complement pathway was critical for this response. Inhibition of leukocyte adhesion via CD18 blockade also reduced IC-induced microvascular permeability. However, this did not require intercellular adhesion molecule-1, inasmuch as blockade of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 did not alter RPA-induced microvascular permeability and adhesion. These findings demonstrate that ICs are capable of rapidly inducing inflammatory responses in the cerebral microvasculature, with the complement pathway and leukocyte recruitment playing critical roles in microvascular dysfunction.

TNF regulates leukocyte-endothelial cell interactions and microvascular dysfunction during immune complex-mediated inflammation.

1. The aim of this study was to assess directly the role of TNF in immune complex-induced leukocyte-endothelial cell interactions and microvascular dysfunction. 2. Intravital microscopy was used to examine immune complex-induced leukocyte rolling, adhesion and emigration and microvascular permeability in cremasteric postcapillary venules in wild-type and TNF(-/-) mice. The reverse passive Arthus (RPA) reaction was used to localize immune complex formation to the cremaster muscle. 3. In wild-type mice, immune complex deposition induced a reduction in leukocyte rolling velocity and increases in leukocyte adhesion and emigration. In TNF(-/-) mice, the immune complex-induced reduction in leukocyte rolling velocity was significantly attenuated, and leukocyte adhesion and emigration were also significantly reduced relative to responses in wild-type mice. 4. The alterations in TNF(-/-) mice were associated with decreased expression of endothelial P-selectin and VCAM-1, and an absence of E-selectin-dependent rolling normally seen in wild-type mice at the peak of the response. In addition, the level of immune complex-induced microvascular permeability was attenuated in TNF(-/-) mice. 5. These findings demonstrate that in immune complex-induced inflammation, TNF promotes leukocyte rolling and adhesive interactions, and entry of leukocytes into sites of immune complex deposition, in part via the increased expression and/or function of endothelial P-selectin, E-selectin and VCAM-1. In addition, this increase in leukocyte recruitment mediated by TNF correlates directly with an increase in microvascular injury.