DIFFERENTIAL EXPRESSION OF THE COMMON BETA-CHAINS AND SPECIFIC ALPHA-CHAINS OF THE RECEPTORS FOR GM-CSF, IL-3, AND IL-5 IN ENDOTHELIAL-CELLS

The present study was designed to reexamine the interaction of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) with endothelial cells (EC) and to investigate the expression of CSF receptor chains in these cells. In agreement with previous data, GM-CSF induced directional migration and, to a lesser degree, proliferation of human umbilical vein EC. When compared to basic fibroblast growth factor, GM-CSF was comparable in terms of chemotactic activity and was substantially less active in terms of proliferation. Binding studies confirmed the presence of receptors for GM- CSF (GM-CSFR) on EC. The expression of the β chain common to the GM-CSFR, IL-3 receptor, and IL-5 receptor, as well as of the individual α chains, was studied by Northern analysis and/or reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction. EC expressed high levels of the common β chain transcripts. Expression of the α(GM) and α(IL-5) chain mRNA was minimal or absent in normal EC, though the transformed ECV304 endothelial cell line had substantial amounts of α(GM) chain mRNA. Unexpectedly, EC expressed α(IL- 3) chain transcripts. IL-3 induced migration of EC across polycarbonate filters, whereas IL-5 was inactive. © 1993 Academic Press, Inc.