Molecular Determinants of Oxidized Low-Density Lipoprotein–Induced Leukocyte Adhesion and Microvascular Dysfunction

Abstract

Abstract Oxidized low-density lipoproteins (oxLDL) have been implicated in the leukocyte recruitment and microvascular dysfunction associated with atherosclerosis. The objectives of this study were to define the adhesion molecules that mediate oxLDL-induced leukocyte–endothelial cell adhesion and to determine whether leukocyte–endothelial cell adhesion contributes to the endothelial barrier dysfunction elicited by oxLDL. Leukocyte–endothelial cell adhesion and emigration, albumin extravasation, and mast cell degranulation were monitored in rat mesentery in response to native LDL (nLDL) or copper-oxidized LDL (oxLDL). Intra-arterial infusion of oxLDL but not nLDL elicited increases in leukocyte adherence and emigration, mast cell degranulation, and albumin leakage. The oxLDL-induced leukocyte adherence/emigration was attenuated by pretreatment with monoclonal antibodies directed against CD11/CD18, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, P-selectin, and L-selectin but not by pretreatment with a nonbinding monoclonal antibody. The albumin leakage and mast cell degranulation responses were attenuated by all of the same monoclonal antibodies except L-selectin. In addition, a peptide previously shown to inhibit leukocyte–endothelial cell adhesion in vitro also attenuated leukocyte adherence and mast cell degranulation in this model. These findings implicate CD11/CD18, L-selectin, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, and P-selectin in the leukocyte recruitment elicited by oxLDL and invoke a role for adherent leukocytes in the accompanying increase in mast cell degranulation and albumin leakage.