Heterogeneous Distribution of Thrombomodulin and von Willebrand Factor in Endothelial Cells in the Human Pulmonary Microvessels

Oichi Kawanami; Enjing Jin; Mohammad Ghazizadeh; Masakazu Fujiwara; Li Jiang; Mikio Nagashima; Hajime Shimizu; Tamiko Takemura; Yoshiharu Ohaki; Satoru Arai; Makoto Gomibuchi; Kazuyo Takeda; Zu-Xi Yu; Victor Ferrans

doi:10.1272/jnms.67.118

Originals

Heterogeneous Distribution of Thrombomodulin and von Willebrand Factor in Endothelial Cells in the Human Pulmonary Microvessels

Oichi Kawanami, Enjing Jin, Mohammad Ghazizadeh, Masakazu Fujiwara, Li Jiang, Mikio Nagashima, Hajime Shimizu, Tamiko Takemura, Yoshiharu Ohaki, Satoru Arai, Makoto Gomibuchi, Kazuyo Takeda, Zu-Xi Yu, Victor Ferrans

Author information

Oichi Kawanami
Department of Molecular Pathology, Institute of Gerontology, Nippon Medical School, Japan
Enjing Jin
Department of Molecular Pathology, Institute of Gerontology, Nippon Medical School, Japan
Mohammad Ghazizadeh
Department of Molecular Pathology, Institute of Gerontology, Nippon Medical School, Japan
Masakazu Fujiwara
Department of Molecular Pathology, Institute of Gerontology, Nippon Medical School, Japan
Li Jiang
Department of Molecular Pathology, Institute of Gerontology, Nippon Medical School, Japan
Mikio Nagashima
Department of Molecular Pathology, Institute of Gerontology, Nippon Medical School, Japan
Hajime Shimizu
Department of Molecular Pathology, Institute of Gerontology, Nippon Medical School, Japan
Tamiko Takemura
Department of Pathology, Nippon Red Cross Hospital Center, Japan
Yoshiharu Ohaki
Surgical Pathology, Hokusoh Hospital, Nippon Medical School, Japan
Satoru Arai
Surgical Pathology, Hokusoh Hospital, Nippon Medical School, Japan
Makoto Gomibuchi
Surgery Sections, Hokusoh Hospital, Nippon Medical School, Japan
Kazuyo Takeda
Pathology Section, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, USA
Zu-Xi Yu
Pathology Section, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, USA
Victor Ferrans
Pathology Section, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, USA

Keywords: pulmonary microvessel, endothelial cells, confocal microscopy, thrombomodulin, von Willebrand factor

JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

2000 Volume 67 Issue 2 Pages 118-125

DOI https://doi.org/10.1272/jnms.67.118

Details

Abstract

Laser scanning confocal fluorescence microscopy techniques were used to study the localization of von Willebrand factor (vWf; Factor VIII-related antigen) and thrombomodulin (transmembrane receptor for thrombin) in the microvascular endothelial cells in the normal human lung. Tissues were obtained from lobectomy specimens resected for solitary nodules (7 adenocarcinomas and 4 hamartomas) from 11 patients. The plasma membranes of the capillary endothelial cells in the alveolar zones (A-zones) showed red linear fluorescence for thrombomodulin. However, their cytoplasm was mostly unreactive for vWf. The microvessels which were located in the connective tissue (C-zones) , including peribronchial, and subpleural areas and large vascular walls, consistently demonstrated band-like green fluorescence for vWf in their cytoplasm, and their plasma membranes usually lacked reactivity for thrombomodulin. Only a limited number of peribronchial capillaries measuring<10μm in diameter showed a mosaic-like appearance, in which red fluorescence along the plasma membranes was found together with green fluorescence in the subjacent cytoplasm. In the juxtaalveolar (J-zones) microvessels located along the borders between A- and C-zones, and measuring up to 40μm in diameter, the endothelial cells showed a mosaic-like pattern of distribution of the two antigens. However, the localization of thrombomodulin in the J-zone microvessels was separate and independent from that of vWf. The thrombomodulin-reactive cells were directly connected to the alveolar capillary endothelial cells. Heterogeneous patterns of distribution of thrombomodulin and vWf suggest that topographic differences of endothelial function occur to maintain a balance of coagulation and anticoagulation in the normal human lung.

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