Clustering of very late antigen-4 integrins modulates K+ currents to alter Ca2+-mediated monocyte function

Endothelial cell vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) activates adherent monocytes by clustering their very late antigen-4 (VLA-4) receptors, resulting in the modulation of the inwardly rectifying (I-ir) and delayed rectifying (I-dr) K+ currents, hyperpolarization of the cells, and enhanced Ca2+ influx (Colden-Stanfield M and Gallin EK. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 275: C267- C277, 1998; Colden-Stanfield M and Scanlon M. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 279: C488-C494, 2000). The present study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against VLA-4 (MAbVLA-4) mimic VCAM-1 to cluster VLA-4 integrins, which play a key role in signaling an increase in the secretion of the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-8 (IL-8). Whole cell ionic currents and IL-8 secretion from THP-1 monocytes that were incubated on polystyrene, VCAM-1-immobilized MAbVLA-4 or an isotype-matched MAb against CD45 (MAbCD45) were measured. Clustering of VLA-4 integrins with a cross-linked MAb-VLA-4, but not a monovalent MAbVLA-4, modulated the K+ currents in an identical manner to incubation of cells on VCAM-1. Similarly, cross-linked MAbVLA-4 or VCAM-1 augmented Ca2+-mediated IL-8 secretion from THP-1 monocytes and was completely abolished by exposure to CsCl, an I-ir blocker. Thus VLA-4 integrin clustering by cross-linked MAbVLA-4 mimics VCAM-1/VLA-4 interactions sufficiently to be associated with events leading to monocyte differentiation, enhanced Ca2+-mediated macrophage function, and possibly atherosclerotic plaque formation.