Methotrexate inhibits integrin adhesion molecules in the mouse model of pleurisy induced by carrageenan

Abstract

The aim of this work was to analyze the effect of methotrexate (MTX) upon leukocyte migration and expression of adhesion molecules CD11a/CD18 in the lung, 4 and 48 h after inflammation induction by carrageenan in mice. The results showed that MTX significantly decreased leukocyte influx and CD11a expression in the lung at 4 and 48 h of pleurisy (P < 0.01). MTX also inhibited CD18 expression at 4 h but not 48 h of pleurisy (P < 0.01). These results proved that MTX at the studied doses had important anti-inflammatory properties, acting primarily on leukocyte migration from the pleural cavity to the lung via inhibition of CD11a/CD18 expression in the mouse model of inflammation.