T-lymphocytes from individuals with filarial inflammatory disease have increased transendothelial migration in vitro.

The in vitro transendothelial migration of circulating filarial antigen-specific T-cells was examined in Wuchereria banerofti infection. Circulating T-cells from individuals with filaria-induced lymphatic pathology (LP) had significantly greater migration through unstimulated HUVEC monolayers than did T-cells from asymptomatic infected (MF) individuals (P = 0.04). In contrast to the MF individuals where no effect was seen, transendothelial migration of 48-hr filarial antigen stimulated T-cells from LP individuals was significantly (P = 0.01) greater than migration of 48-hr media-stimulated T-cells. In six of seven patients examined, inhibition of the VLA-4/VCAM-1 pathway resulted in greater than 50% inhibition of transendothelial migration of T-cells.