(Circulation. 1999;99:2124-2131.)
© 1999 American Heart Association, Inc.
Clinical Investigation and Reports |
From the Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Benjamin Franklin, Free University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Correspondence to Michel Noutsias, Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Benjamin Franklin, Free University of Berlin, Hindenburgdamm 30, D-12200 Berlin, Germany. E-mail noutsias{at}zedat.fu-berlin.de
| Abstract |
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Methods and ResultsWe investigated the expression pattern of CAMs (immunoglobulin superfamily, 32 selectins, and ß1- and ß2-integrins) in endomyocardial biopsies from DCM patients (n=152; left ventricular ejection fraction <40%) using immunohistochemistry. Whereas few specimens obtained at autopsy (controls; n=14) presented enhanced expression regarding single endothelial CAMs (human leukocyte antigen [HLA] class I, 7%; HLA-DR, 14%; CD29, 14%), none demonstrated concurrent abundance of >3 CAMs (inflammatory endothelial activation), nor did any control tissue prove positive for InfCM (>7.0 CD3+ lymphocytes per 1 mm2). In comparison, 64% (n=97) of the DCM biopsies were evaluated positive for InfCM and 67% (n=101) for inflammatory endothelial activation, respectively. Whereas expression of HLA class I, HLA-DR, intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1, and CD29 was distributed homogeneously within a patient's serial sections, immunoreactivity of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, lymphocyte function antigen-3, and the selectins was accentuated on single vascular endothelia. Sixty-six percent of the DCM biopsies presented CD29 abundance also within the extracellular matrix and the sarcolemma. CD62P and CD62E were present in 16% and 40% of the DCM patients, respectively. Endothelial CAM representatives correlated with one another (P<0.05), except for CD62P with HLA. Endothelial CAM expression correlated with intramyocardial infiltrates phenotyped by the corresponding counterreceptors.
ConclusionsInflammatory endothelial activation is present in 67% of DCM patients. Because CAM expression correlates with the immunohistological diagnosis of InfCM and counterreceptor-bearing intramyocardial infiltrates, evaluation of endothelial CAMs might be of diagnostic significance in InfCM.
Key Words: cardiomyopathy diagnosis cell adhesion molecules endothelium immune system immunohistochemistry
| Introduction |
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The diagnosis of inflammatory heart disease has been a troublesome topic since its introduction, and the applied diagnostic criteria vary even among leading centers.2 The Dallas criteria3 have proved most suitable for the acute stage of myocarditis.4 With the more sensitive and specific immunohistological approach, InfCM was revealed in about the moiety of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) patients.5 6 Although these immunohistological criteria were cited in the WHO/ISFC report,1 the definitive diagnostic criteria remain to be specified, possibly by future task forces.2 A "nonhistological marker," being independent of focally clustered infiltrates as to the distribution pattern, is not prone to sampling error7 but concurrently being associated with intramyocardial infiltrates, would be favorable.8
Until now, experimental investigations and diagnostic procedures in inflammatory heart disease have focused on intramyocardial infiltrates. However, endothelial cells are probably infected before cardiotropic viruses invade the myocardium.9 10 The phenotypic pattern of endothelial cells is reportedly altered in DCM hearts with respect to cell adhesion molecules (CAMs).8 11 12 13
The network of endothelial adhesion receptors and their specific ligands on circulating immune cells orchestrates the sequence of initial rolling mediated by selectins, the subsequent firm adhesion, and ultimately the transendothelial migration of immunocompetent cells directed by integrins and members of the immunoglobulin superfamily, thus conferring spatial, temporal, and leukocyte-type selectivity to the recruitment process.14 15 In general, CAM expression is regulated by proinflammatory cytokines in terms of either enhancement of baseline expression or de novo induction. Whereas vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1 and the selectins CD62E and CD62P are expressed exclusively on activated endothelial cells, the tissue distribution of lymphocyte function antigen (LFA)-3, intercellular cell adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) molecules comprises additionally interstitial cells (eg, immunocompetent infiltrates, histiocytes, dendritic cells, and fibroblasts). Furthermore, ß1-integrins (CD29 and very late activation antigen [VLA]-4) are also expressed within components of the extracellular matrix16 17 18 and on the sarcolemma of regenerating skeletal myocytes.19 ß2-Integrins are expressed by immunocompetent cells (CD18, pan-leukocyte marker; LFA-1, activated lymphocytes; Mac-1, monocytes and macrophages).
The objectives of the present study were to investigate the expression pattern of CAMs (immunoglobulin superfamily, selectins, and ß1- and ß2-integrins) in endomyocardial biopsies from DCM patients and to conclude the diagnostic and pathogenic significance of CAMs in InfCM.
| Methods |
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Specimens obtained from the right ventricular septum at autopsy (n=14; men, n=8; women, n=6; age, 47.5±17.5 years) within 48 hours after noncardiac death (trauma, n=2; malignancy, n=6; intoxication, n=4; rupture of abdominal aortic aneurysm, n=1; pneumonia, n=1) served as controls. To investigate the relevance of our controls with respect to a possible postmortem degradation of CAMs, we subjected 7 tissues obtained from the right ventricular septum of DCM explants (men, n=5; women, n=2; age, 42.4±16.3 years; LVEF <25%) to autolysis at room temperature and compared CAMs immunoreactivity at days 0 (immediate freezing after explantation), 1, 2, and 3 (after autolysis). Informed consent was obtained from all patients.
No significant differences in age or sex were calculated between the autopsied control group, transplanted DCM patients, and DCM patients from whom the biopsies were obtained (P<0.05).
Sample Preparation
Multiple endomyocardial biopsies (
6 per
patient) from the right ventricular septum were obtained by
standard percutaneous transvenous right femoral
approach with a Cordis bioptome. For conventional
histological evaluation following the Dallas criteria,
2 biopsies were fixed in 10% formalin. For
immunohistological evaluation, the remaining specimens
were embedded in Tissue Tec (SLEE) and immediately snap-frozen in
methylbutane cooled in liquid nitrogen at -70°C. Biopsy specimens
were cut serially into cryosections of 5 µm thickness, which
were placed on 10% poly-L-lysineprecoated slides.
Depending on availability, 6 to 9 sections from a single biopsy were
analyzed for each antibody per patient. The coded slides were
examined in a blinded fashion.
Light Microscopy
Specimens were stained with hematoxylin and eosin according to
standard protocols. The diagnostic procedure for active and
borderline myocarditis was based on the Dallas criteria: Borderline
myocarditis was confirmed by the presence of increased mononuclear
infiltrates in the absence of myocytolysis, whereas active myocarditis
also required unequivocal evidence for myocytolysis adjacent to
mononuclear infiltrates.
Immunohistochemical Staining Procedure
After fixation in cold acetone for 10 minutes and subsequent air
drying, endogenous peroxidase activity was quenched by
incubating cryosections with 0.3%
H2O2 in PBS for 20
minutes. After 3 rinses in PBS, cryosections were incubated with the
appropriately diluted monoclonal mouse antibody in PBS containing 5%
heat-inactivated FCS (saturation of unspecific protein
binding sites) for 1 hour in a humidified chamber. The slides were then
rinsed 3 times in PBS and then incubated with the peroxidase-conjugated
polyclonal rabbitanti-mouse antibody (dilution 1:200; Dianova) for 45
minutes in a humidified chamber. After 3 rinses in PBS, immunoreactive
staining was developed by use of 3-amino-9-ethylcarbazole (Merck) as
chromogenic substance being converted by peroxidase to a
red precipitate. The slides were finally mounted with Kaiser's gelatin
(Merck). The antibodies were purchased from Dianova, except for
antiICAM-1 and anti-CD62E (Serva).
Immunohistological Quantitative Evaluation of
Infiltrates
Immunohistochemically stained cells were counted per high-power
field (400-fold magnification, which was equivalent to 0.28
mm2) by use of the Leica MDRD microscope in all
available fields (>10 fields per antibody), and the mean cell counts
per high-power field were computed. Figure 1
demonstrates immunostained
infiltrates.
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Semiquantitative Evaluation of Inflammatory Activation of
Endothelial Cells
Immunoperoxidase staining of endothelial cells
was graded as follows: grade 0, no discernible immunoreactivity; grade
1, faint CAM staining; grade 2, enhanced CAM expression; and grade 3,
strongly abundant CAM immunoreactivity.
CAMs known to be orthologically almost absent and de novo induced during inflammation (LFA-3, VCAM-1, CD62E, and CD62P) were scored positive when immunoperoxidase staining exceeded grade 0. In contrast, constitutively expressed CAMs (HLA class I, HLA-DR, ICAM-1, and CD29) were scored positive if immunoreactivity exceeded grade 1.
In accordance with results published elsewhere5 11 and our
overall experience of >600 cases, biopsies demonstrating concurrent
endothelial activation with respect to
3 CAMs (HLA
class I, HLA-DR, ICAM-1, VCAM-1, LFA-3, CD62E, or CD62P) were
considered positive for inflammatory endothelial
activation. Representative endothelial
CAM immunostainings are presented in Figure 2
.
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Statistical Analysis
Statistical analysis was performed with JMP Statistical
Discovery Software, version 3.2.2 (SAS Institute, Inc).
Because normal distribution was excluded regarding all
parameters conducting the Shapiro-Wilk W test
(P<0.05), exclusively nonparametric tests were
performed. Quantitative data were correlated by use of the Spearman
analysis; quantitative data were compared with qualitative data
by use of the Wilcoxon/Kruskal-Wallis test on rank sums; and
qualitative data were compared by use of the
2
test (Pearson's correlation coefficient). The honestly significant
difference for multiple comparisons of all pairs was calculated
according to the Tukey-Kramer analysis. CAM immunoreactivity in
explanted tissues subjected to autolysis was analyzed through
MANOVA for repeated measures (time as term of effect). A value of
P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.
| Results |
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3 CAMs) was evaluated in 67% (101) of the DCM biopsies
(Table 2
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Intramyocardial infiltrates demonstrated both focal and diffuse
patterns of distribution (Figure 1
). In 13 cases (9%), foci of
infiltrates closely adjacent to cardiomyocytes, suggestive
of myocytolysis, were noted (Figure 1b
). Interestingly, the 3
cases diagnosed as borderline myocarditis according to the Dallas
criteria were among these. Although perivascular clusters of
infiltrates were observed occasionally (Figure 1
), no obvious
spatial relationship between intramyocardial infiltrates and
endothelial CAM expression was observed.
The grade of immunoreactivity regarding HLA class I, HLA-DR, ICAM-1,
and CD29 was equally distributed within all sections obtained from a
single patient, regardless of focally clustered immunocompetent
infiltrates (Figure 2a
). The expression pattern of these
homogeneously distributed CAMs comprised both larger
vessels and capillaries (Figure 2a
and 2c
through 2f
). In
contrast, VCAM-1, VLA-4, LFA-3, and the selectins were expressed
predominantly on single vessels of venule morphology (Figure 2b
and 2g
through 2j
).
In addition to endothelial cells, HLA, ICAM-1,
CD29, LFA-3, and VLA-4 stained interstitial cells (Figure 2c
through 2f
), the nature of which, however, cannot be judged
unequivocally by immunohistochemistry. Expression of CD 29 was not
confined to interstitial cells and the vascular
endothelium but also comprised components of the
extracellular matrix, especially the vascular sheaths (Figure 2e
and 2f
).
Multiple bivariate analysis of endothelial
adhesion molecules revealed significant correlations, except for CD62P,
compared with HLA class I and HLA-DR (Figure 3
).
|
Expression of endothelial CAMs correlated significantly
with intramyocardial infiltrates phenotyped by the
corresponding counterreceptor (Figure 4
).
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No significant decrease in CAM immunoreactivity in a time-dependent
fashion was observed when explanted DCM tissues were subjected to
autolysis for
3 days (Table 3
).
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| Discussion |
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However, our data clearly illustrate that no CAM
representative may fulfill the criteria for a single
diagnostic "gold standard," which is not conceivable to
pursue anyway, because chronic inflammatory diseases represent
intricate processes.15 This notion is supported by the
significant correlations of virtually all studied CAM
representatives in multiple bivariate analysis
(Figure 3
). Moreover, enhanced expression of single CAM
representatives may also occur in diseases without
primary cardiac involvement, as our data on autopsies from noncardiac
death causes (Table 1
) and further
investigations12 13 might imply. In fact, interindividual
variances of CAM expression have been reported even in nonfailing
hearts.12 Therefore, the proposed score here requiring the
concurrent abundance of
3 different endothelial CAMs
confers certainty about an intramyocardial inflammatory process,
because this criterion was not met in any of the controls. The
reliability of our controls obtained
48 hours postmortem at necropsy
was confirmed by the DCM explants subjected to autolysis, failing to
demonstrate any time-dependent decrease in CAM immunoreactivity for
3
days, even without respect to CAMs demonstrating low expression (CD62E,
CD62P).
When stimulated with cytokines, endothelial cells express CAMs dynamically and finally shed the adhesion receptors in vitro. The peaks of expression appear for CD62E after 2 to 4 hours, for VCAM-1 after 4 to 8 hours, and for ICAM-1 after 6 to 72 hours after stimulation. Whereas de novo expressed CAMs (selectins and VCAM-1) decline after having passed their peaks, constitutively expressed adhesion receptors (ICAM-1) persist at higher levels after the peak.20 Provided that these experimental insights may be extrapolated to in vivo conditions, expression of selectins, which was the case in 16% (CD62P) and 40% (CD62E) of our DCM patients, may indicate an early stage of cytokine release and thus may account for determination of inflammatory stage in InfCM. Notably, investigations by Marijianowksi et al13 and Devaux et al12 failed to demonstrate immunoreactivity of VCAM-1 and CD62E in explants of both DCM and myocarditis patients. Devaux et al12 attributed this observation to the hypothesized absence of acute inflammatory responses in failing myocardium. In light of our data and results by Ino et al,21 this discrepancy of observations is due instead to methodical pitfalls, especially since we also found expression of both VCAM-1 (57%) and CD62E (43%) in terminally failing DCM explants (LVEF <25%).
CD29, the common ß1-integrin chain, is reportedly expressed by endothelia, by immunocompetent cells, within components of the extracellular matrix,14 17 18 and by regenerating skeletal myocytes.19 Interestingly, whenever CD29 immunoreactivity was enhanced on endothelia and within the extracellular matrix, CD29 expression was also noted on the sarcolemma of cardiomyocytes, which was the case in 66% of our DCM study group. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first investigation reporting CD29 expression on the sarcolemma of adult cardiomyocytes. Notably, except for CD29, CAM immunoreactivity was never observed on the sarcolemma in DCM/InfCM hearts. This is consistent with other investigators, who reported ICAM-1 expression on the sarcolemma in acute myocarditis but not in DCM/InfCM.12 21 22 Enhanced expression of CD29 within components of the extracellular matrix in InfCM may contribute to an adhesive environment into which inflammatory cells are more readily recruited and retained16 ; may furthermore participate in a more profound anchorage of cardiomyocytes serving as laminin, fibronectin, and vitronectin receptor19 ; and may finally, like the suggested significance of the sarcolemmal ICAM-1 expression in acute myocarditis,21 22 contribute to an adhesion-mediated cytotoxic attack of immune effector cells to CD29-expressing cardiomyocytes.
Endothelial CAMs and Intramyocardial
Infiltrates
With respect to the specific ligand-counterreceptor
interactions, ICAM-1 interacts with both LFA-1 and Mac-1, VCAM-1 with
VLA-4, LFA-3 with CD2, HLA class I with CD8, and HLA class II with
CD4.14 Our data confirm the hypothesis that expression of
endothelial CAMs constitutes an essential prerequisite
for the transendothelial migration of circulating
immunocompetent cells, because inflammatory endothelial
activation correlated with the diagnosis of InfCM based on CD3+
lymphocytes. This notion is best illustrated by the significant
correlations of CAMs expression and counterreceptor-bearing infiltrates
(Figure 4
). However, the most intriguing aspect of a functional
dependence of intramyocardial infiltration on CAM expression, namely a
spatial relationship between perivascular foci (infrequently observed
in InfCM) and accentuated CAMs abundance on adjacent endothelia, was
not observed. Nonetheless, such phenomena were not necessarily
expected, because the follow-up of a dynamic process cannot be
guaranteed by investigating single biopsies obtained at a certain point
in time. On the other hand, the homogeneous distribution
pattern of ICAM-1, HLA, and CD29 within all serial sections from a
certain patient may have accounted for the failure to observe such
phenomena. However, such a relationship cannot be excluded by the
present study, because multiple immunostaining
techniques are needed to explore this issue.
Interestingly, when CAM expression in explanted DCM tissues subjected to autolysis is compared, the nonhomogeneously distributed CAMs (VCAM-1, LFA-3, CD62E, CD62P, and VLA-4) presented higher variances (not in a time-dependent manner but stochastically) than the homogeneously distributed CAMs (ICAM-1, HLA, and CD29), the latter being expressed virtually steadily in all biopsies from a single subject. We therefore conclude that this observation is probably due to sampling effects, which may predominantly affect the nonhomogeneously distributed CAMs, not being broadly expressed on capillaries but rather on venules, which are infrequently present in biopsies.21 This issue appears exceptionally important in light of the considerable sampling error associated with the diagnosis of InfCM based on intramyocardial infiltrates.7 Therefore, the requirements for a reliable "nonhistological marker"8 may be very well met by the homogeneously distributed endothelial CAMs. Moreover, considering that induction of HLA precedes intramyocardial infiltration,23 the abundance of endothelial CAMs may be interpreted as inflammatory intramyocardial activation even in the absence of significant infiltrates. Finally, the pathogenic significance of merely increased CD3+ lymphocytic infiltrates remains unclear, because this attribute does not necessarily specify activated or cytotoxic cells.24
In conclusion, CAMs constitute relevant diagnostic targets in InfCM and might be considered for the criteria elaborated on by future WHO/ISFC task forces.2
| Acknowledgments |
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Received November 7, 1998; revision received January 13, 1999; accepted January 25, 1999.
| References |
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