Lipopolysaccharide enhances monocyte adherence to matrix-bound fibronectin.

Fibronectin (Fn), an extracellular matrix glycoprotein with binding sites for collagen, fibrin, heparin, and cell surfaces, is a nonimmune opsonin which up-regulates phagocytic function and facilitates adherence of human monocytes. We have developed a simple assay to study adherence of peripheral blood monocytes to Fn on a gelatin matrix. While cell adherence was enhanced by the presence of Fn in a dose-dependent manner, it was inhibited by peptides containing the Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) cell attachment sequence or by coating the matrix with antibodies directed against Fn. Preincubation of monocytes for 30 min with Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) at doses of 1-50 micrograms/ml increased adherence to Fn-gelatin but not to gelatin alone, while longer preincubation (24 hr) resulted in similar changes at lower doses (0.01-1.0 micrograms/ml). Enhanced Fn adherence may be essential for monocyte localization to sites of inflammation.