CHANGES OF ADHESION MOLECULE (LFA-1, ICAM-1) EXPRESSION ON MEMORY T-CELLS ACTIVATED WITH CYTOMEGALOVIRUS ANTIGEN

The expression of adhesion molecules (LFA-1, ICAM-1, CD29) on T cells activated with cytomegalovirus (CMV) antigen was investigated by three-color flow cytometry analysis. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from CMV-seropositive adults were cultured with CMV or control antigen for 6 days. After culture, the expression of LFA-1, ICAM-1, and CD29 on T cells in subpopulations defined as CD45RO(+) or CD45RO(-) was analyzed. The population of cells that expressed LFA-1 at high levels (LFA-1(high)) among CD4(+)CD45RO(+) cells increased when cultured with CMV antigen compared to control antigen. The population of cells that expressed LFA-1(high) cells among CD8(+)CD45RO(+) cells was down-regulated by culture for 6 days; however, the population of LFA-1(high) cells among CD8(+)CD45RO(+) cells cultured with CMV antigen was higher than when cultured with control antigen. The population of LFA-1(high) cells among CD4(+)CD45RO(-) and CD8(+)CD45RO(-) cells did not change after culture with CMV antigen. The intensity of CD29 and expression of ICAM-1 also increased on both CD4(+)CD45RO(+) and CD8(+)CD45RO(+) cells after culture with the CMV antigen. Up-regulation of adhesion molecules occurred on activated T cells by culture with the CMV antigen. This change was observed mainly on CD45RO(+) T memory cells. The results suggested that these changes of adhesion molecules on activated T cells with CMV may contribute to some immune reaction or inflammatory change. (C) 1995 Academic Press, Inc.