Interaction of CD11/CD18 located on neutrophil membranes with its endothelial counter-receptor, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, plays a major role in polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN)-mediated endothelial dysfunction and myocardial injury associated with ischemia and reperfusion. However, PMN-derived L-selectin, which is thought to play an early role in PMN rolling along the vascular endothelium, has not been studied in a setting of myocardial ischemia and reperfusion.

In this study, we evaluated the effects of a monoclonal antibody against L-selectin, DREG-200, in a feline model of myocardial ischemia (1.5 hours) and reperfusion (4.5 hours). DREG-200 (1 mg/kg) or an isotype-matched IgG1 antibody, MAb R3.1, which does not cross-react in cats, was administered as a bolus 10 minutes before reperfusion. In MAb R3.1-treated cats, myocardial ischemia followed by reperfusion resulted in significant coronary vascular endothelial dysfunction, elevated cardiac myeloperoxidase activity indicative of neutrophil accumulation in the ischemic myocardium, and severe myocardial injury. In contrast, administration of DREG-200 at 1 mg/kg significantly attenuated myocardial necrosis (14 +/- 4 versus 32 +/- 3 expressed as percentage of area at risk, P < .001) and attenuated coronary endothelial dysfunction (P < .01) associated with ischemia/reperfusion. Moreover, myeloperoxidase activity in the ischemic myocardium was significantly lower than MAb R3.1-treated cats (0.4 +/- 0.1 versus 0.9 +/- 0.2 U/100 mg tissue, P < .05).

These results demonstrate that blocking L-selectin with DREG-200 exerts a significant cardioprotective effect in a feline model of myocardial ischemia and reperfusion, indicating that L-selectin plays a significant role in mediating PMN accumulation and PMN-induced endothelial and myocardial injury after ischemia and reperfusion.