MIP-1α enhances Jurkat cell transendothelial migration by up-regulating endothelial adhesion molecules VCAM-1 and ICAM-1

The aim of this study is to evaluate the expression of macrophage inflammatory protein-1α (MIP-1α) in Jurkat cells and its effect on transendothelial migration. In the present study, human acute lymphoblastic leukemia Jurkat cells (Jurkat cells) were used as a model of T cells in human T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), which demonstrated significantly higher MIP-1α expression compared with that in normal T-cell controls. The ability of Jurkat cells to cross a human brain microvascular endothelial cell (HBMEC) monolayer was almost completely abrogated by MIP-1α siRNA. In addition, the overexpression of MIP-1α resulted in the up-regulated expression of endothelial adhesion molecules, which enhanced the migration of Jurkat cells through a monolayer of HBMEC. MIP-1α levels in Jurkat cells appeared to be an important factor for its transendothelial migration, which may provide the theoretical basis to understand the mechanisms of brain metastases of T-ALL at cellular and molecular levels.