Vet. Res. 34 (2003) 273-284
DOI: 10.1051/vetres:2003003

In vitro infection of aortic endothelial cells by caprine arthritis encephalitis virus enhances in vitro transmigration of peripheral blood leukocytes and modulates their phenotypic expression

Nadège Milhau^a, Claire Bellaton^{a, b}, Sabine Balleydier^a, Marjorie Gaonach^a and Christian Le Jan<sup>a

a</sup>  UMR 754, Rétrovirus et Pathologie comparée, INRA/ENVL/UCBL, Université Claude Bernard, 50 avenue Tony Garnier, 69366 Lyon Cedex 07, France
^b  École Pratique des Hautes Études, Laboratoire Interactions cellulaires : rétrovirus et cancer, Université Claude Bernard, 50 avenue Tony Garnier, 69366 Lyon Cedex 07, France

(Received 28 June 2002; accepted 2 December 2002)

Abstract
Infection of goats by caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus (CAEV) provides a convenient example of the infiltration of various tissues by leukocytes following a natural lentiviral infection. This event is important in determining organ susceptibility and local immunity. Caprine vascular endothelial cells are susceptible to infection by CAEV in vitro, so we have investigated the consequences of this infection on the transmigration of uninfected leukocytes in an in vitro model. After in vitro infection by CAEV or stimulation by TNF , the endothelial cells allowed the passage of tenfold more leukocytes from uninfected donors than did the uninfected endothelial cells. The transmigrating leukocytes were enriched in CD8 ⁺ lymphocytes, and the leukocytes appeared to have been activated during transmigration, as demonstrated by their expression of IL2R, MHC class II antigens and gamma-delta T-lymphocyte markers. CD4 ⁺, CD8 ⁺ and B-lymphocytes all proliferated in culture after transmigration. These results suggest that any possible infection or specific stimulation of endothelia in an infected animal could profoundly influence the choice of target organs and could activate the cells involved in local mucosal immune responses.

Key words: caev / endothelial cell / leukocyte / transmigration / in vitro

Correspondence and reprints: Christian Le Jan Tel.: (33) 04 37 28 76 18; fax: (33) 04 37 28 76 05;
    e-mail: lejan@univ-lyon1.fr

© INRA, EDP Sciences 2003