Adherence of human peripheral blood lymphocytes to virus infected cells: role of the cytoskeleton and prostaglandin E.

Human peripheral blood lymphocytes from patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) form significantly greater numbers of rosettes with virus infected cells than healthy controls. Because increased lymphocyte adherence in MS may be important to the disease process, we have investigated the mechanisms governing lymphocyte adherence in healthy control volunteers. We have previously shown that prostaglandins E1, E2 (PGE2), and dibutyryl cyclic AMP (db cAMP) increase control lymphocyte adherence to MS levels. We now report that colchicine (10(-7) M) and nocodazole (10(-7) M) significantly increased control lymphocyte adherence to measles virus infected human epithelial (HEp-2) cells. Lumicolchicine had no effect. Cytochalasins A, B, C, and D also had no effect on lymphocyte adherence. Colchicine (10(-5) + 10(-7) M) treatment of mononuclear cells enhanced PGE synthesis in tissue culture. Cytochalasins had no effect on PGE synthesis. Thus, microtubules appear important to adherence of lymphocytes to virus infected cells perhaps by virtue of their involvement and/or control of PG biosynthesis.