Abstract
The immune response is successfully activated when cells expressing HLA class II molecules present antigen to T lymphocytes, and specific “accessory” molecules are also expressed on the surfaces of the cells involved to allow effective cell adhesion. Two such molecules are intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) detected on antigen presenting cells which acts as a ligand for lympnocyte function associated antigen 1 (LFA-1) found on leucocytes. In Coeliac Disease (CD) and autoimmune enteropathy (AIE) aberrant class II/DR expression occurs on jejunal crypt enterocytes. We have previously suggested that in AIE altered antigen presentation initiates and/or perpetuates the enteropathic process. We now investigate whether altered adhesion molecule expression plays a role in this process. Jejunal mucosa from 7 children with AIE, 5 with CD, and 5 controls with histologically normal mucosa and normal DR expression was compared. Cryostat sections were stained by an indirect immunofluorescence technique using monoclonal antibodies to ICAM-1, LFA-1, and HLA-DR. In both CD and AIE aberrant DR expression by crypt enterocytes was present. ICAM-1 was expressed by crypt enterocytes in all with AIE and LFA-1 in 3/7. Both ICAM-1 and LFA-1 were negative in CD and control crypt cells and in all villous enterocytes. Throughout the lamina propria of all biopsies LFA-1 and ICAM-1 +ve cells were detected but in greater numbers with more intense staining in AIE. Thus in AIE but not CD aberrant DR expression correlates with enhanced and inappropriate epithelial cell adhesion molecule expression and this may facilitate autoantigen presentation by these enterocytes and so perpetuate the enteropathic process.
Article PDF
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hill, S., Milla, P., Caseseca, T. et al. Cell adhesion molecules in enteropathic processes. Pediatr Res 27, 531 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199005000-00033
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199005000-00033