The crosstalk between neuropilin-1 and tumor necrosis factor-α in endothelial cells.

Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) is a master cytokine which induces expression of chemokines and adhesion molecules, such as intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1), in endothelial cells to initiate the vascular inflammatory response. In this study, we identified neuropilin-1 (NRP1), a co-receptor of several structurally diverse ligands, as a modulator of TNFα-induced inflammatory response of endothelial cells. NRP1 shRNA expression suppressed TNFα-stimulated leukocyte adhesion and expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs).