Involvement of platelet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 in neutrophil recruitment in vivo.

During inflammation, neutrophils migrate from the vascular lumen into extravascular sites. In vitro assays have suggested that platelet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 [PECAM-1 (CD31)], a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily, is required for the transmigration of neutrophils across endothelial monolayers. Antibody to human PECAM-1, which cross-reacts with rat PECAM-1, was found to block not only in vivo accumulation of rat neutrophils into the peritoneal cavity and the alveolar compartment of the lung but also neutrophil accumulation in human skin grafts transplanted onto immunodeficient mice. On the basis of these findings in three different models of inflammation, it appears that PECAM-1 is required for neutrophil transmigration in vivo and may thus be a potential therapeutic target.