Endothelial basement membrane laminin α5 selectively inhibits T lymphocyte extravasation into the brain

Specific inhibition of the entry of encephalitogenic T lymphocytes into the central nervous system in multiple sclerosis would provide a means of inhibiting disease without compromising innate immune responses. We show here that targeting lymphocyte interactions with endothelial basement membrane laminins provides such a possibility. In mouse experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, T lymphocyte extravasation correlates with sites expressing laminin alpha 4 and small amounts of laminin alpha 5. In mice lacking laminin alpha 4, laminin alpha 5 is ubiquitously expressed along the vascular tree, resulting in marked and selective reduction of T lymphocyte infiltration into the brain and reduced disease susceptibility and severity. Vessel phenotype and immune response were not affected in these mice. Rather, laminin alpha 5 directly inhibited integrin alpha(6)beta(1)-mediated migration of T lymphocytes through laminin alpha 4. The data indicate that T lymphocytes use mechanisms distinct from other immune cells to penetrate the endothelial basement membrane barrier, permitting specific targeting of this immune cell population.