Differential modulation of IL-1-induced endothelial adhesion molecules and transendothelial migration of granulocytes by G-CSF.

Abstract

Granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) is widely used for mobilization of haemopoietic stem cells into the peripheral blood. However, little is known about the mechanisms involved in mobilization and the immune modulatory effects of this growth factor. In this report we show that G-CSF down-regulated intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) induced by Interleukin-1 (IL-1) on human endothelial cells. Interestingly, the G-CSF-mediated down-modulation of IL-1-induced ICAM-1 appeared to be biphasic. In pharmacological concentrations (> 300 ng/ml), and in dose ranges of plasma G-CSF levels above that of nonfebrile healthy individuals (30 pg/ml), a significant decrease in surface ICAM-1 could be observed. This could be explained, at least in part, by an increased autocrine G-CSF production by endothelial cells in response to IL-1 and exogenous G-CSF. In contrast to ICAM-1, IL-1-triggered VCAM-1 expression was superinduced by G-CSF with the optimal concentration of 30 pg/ml. To evaluate the functional significance of these findings, 51Cr adhesion assays with peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) or granulocytes known to lack the VCAM-1 counter-receptor very late antigen 4 (VLA-4) and IL-1-stimulated endothelial cells, in the presence or absence of G-CSF, were performed. G-CSF could not inhibit the IL-1-induced adhesion of PBMC to endothelial cells, which may be due to the differential adhesion molecule modulation. In contrast, granulocyte adhesion induced by IL-1 could effectively be blocked by co-incubation with G-CSF. Finally, G-CSF also inhibited transendothelial migration of granulocytes through IL-1-activated endothelial cells in a concentration-dependent manner.