Ionizing radiation mediates expression of cell adhesion molecules in distinct histological patterns within the lung.

Inflammatory cell infiltration of the lung is a predominant histopathological change that occurs during radiation pneumonitis. Emigration of inflammatory cells from the circulation requires the interaction between cell adhesion molecules on the vascular endothelium and molecules on the surface of leukocytes. We studied the immunohistochemical pattern of expression of cell adhesion molecules in lungs from mice treated with thoracic irradiation. After X-irradiation, the endothelial leukocyte adhesion molecule 1 (ELAM-1; E-selectin) was primarily expressed in the pulmonary endothelium of larger vessels and minimally in the microvascular endothelium. Conversely, the intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1; CD54) was expressed in the pulmonary capillary endothelium and minimally in the endothelium of larger vessels. Radiation-mediated E-selectin expression was first observed at 6 h, whereas ICAM-1 expression initially increased at 24 h after irradiation. ICAM-1 and E-selectin expression persisted for several days. P-selectin is constitutively expressed in Weibel-Palade bodies in the endothelium, which moved to the vascular lumen within 30 min after irradiation. P-selectin was not detected in the pulmonary endothelium at 6 h after irradiation. The radiation dose required for increased cell adhesion molecule expression within the pulmonary vascular endothelium was 2 Gy, and expression increased in a dose-dependent manner. These data demonstrate that ICAM-1 and E-selectin expression is increased in the pulmonary endothelium following thoracic irradiation. The pattern of expression of E-selectin, P-selectin, and ICAM-1 is distinct from one another.