Anti-streptococcal antibody and T-cell interactions with vascular endothelial cells initiate the development of rheumatic carditis

Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
Sikder, Suchandan;Rush, Catherine M.;Govan, Brenda L.;Alim, Md A.;Ketheesan, Natkunam
Abstract

The role of group A streptococcal and Streptococcus dysgalactiae subspecies equisimilis M-protein specific Abs and T-cells in endothelial cell activation was investigated using cultured rat aortic endothelial cells, and in a rat model of autoimmune valvulitis. Heat inactivated serum and mononuclear cells from streptococcal M-protein immunized rats independently induced upregulation of the endothelial cell adhesion molecules, vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1 and intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 in cultured cells. We also observed T-cell migration across endothelial cell monolayers incubated with serum from M-protein-immunized rats. Furthermore, we observed VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 expression in the myocardium of rats injected with M-protein compared to control animals. These observations support the contention that initial interactions between streptococcal M-protein specific Abs and/or T-cells with the heart endothelium lead to endothelial cell activation followed by transmigration of M-protein specific T-cells into heart tissue leading to an inflammatory process that leads to carditis in rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease.

Journal

Journal of Leukocyte Biology

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Volume

107

ISBN/ISSN

0741-5400

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Issue

2

Pages Count

9

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Publisher

Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology

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EISSN

N/A

DOI

10.1002/JLB.4MA0919-096RR