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ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE

Norepinephrine Enhances Adhesion of HIV-1-Infected Leukocytes to Cardiac Microvascular Endothelial Cells

J.B. Sundstrom^*,1, D.E. Martinson^*, M. Mosunjac^*, P. Bostik^*, L.K. McMullan, R.M. Donahoe, M.B. Gravanis^* and A.A. Ansari^*

^* Departments of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and
Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322; and
Special Pathogens Branch, NCID, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333

Recent reports have indicated that norepinephrine (NE) enhances HIV replication in infected monocytes and promotes increased expression of select matrix metalloproteinases associated with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in vitro in co-cultures of HIV-infected leukocytes and human cardiac microvascular endothelial cells (HMVEC-C). The influence of NE on HIV infection and leukocyte-endothelial interactions suggests a pathogenic role in AIDS-related cardiovascular disease. This study examined the effects of norepinephrine (NE) and HIV-1 infection on leukocyte adhesion to HMVEC-C. Both flow and static conditions were examined and the expression of selected adhesion molecules and cytokines were monitored in parallel. NE pretreatment resulted in a detectable, dose-dependent increase of leukocyte-endothelial adhesion (LEA) with both HIV-1-infected and -uninfected peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) relative to media controls after 48 hr in co-culture with HMVEC-C in vitro. However, the combination of NE plus HIV infection resulted in a significant (P < 0.0001) 18-fold increase in LEA over uninfected media controls. Increased levels in both cell-associated and -soluble ICAM-1 and E-Selectin but not VCAM-1 correlated with increased LEA and with HIV-1 infection or NE pretreatment. Blocking antibodies specific for ICAM-1 or E-Selectin inhibited HIV-NE-induced LEA. These data suggest a model in which NE primes HIV-1-infected leukocytes for enhanced adhesion and localization in HMVEC-C where they can initiate and participate in vascular injury associated with AIDS-related cardiomyopathy.

Key Words: HIV • norepinephrine • leukocytes • endothelial cells • heart disease