Objective: To investigate the pathophysiology of perivascular mononuclear cell infiltrates observed in skeletal muscle from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods: Immunocytochemical techniques were used to examine frozen 5 microns sections from the quadriceps needle muscle biopsy specimens of 14 patients with SLE (including seven with infiltrates) for the expression of the cytokine inducible adhesion molecules intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), and E-selectin.

Results: Vessels in 6/7 SLE biopsy specimens with perivascular infiltrates expressed VCAM-1 at a density of > 2 vessels/mm2 in contrast with 0/7 SLE biopsy specimens without infiltrates and 1/6 control specimens. In contrast, E-selectin expression was increased ( > 0.3 positive vessels/mm2) in SLE biopsy specimens compared with control tissue regardless of the presence of perivascular infiltration. VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 were also noted on extravascular cells in the infiltrates, being particularly prominent on the intermuscle fibre dendritic processes of CD68+ HLA-DR+ cells.

Conclusions: Expression of these cytokine inducible adhesion molecules may be important in the migration of mononuclear cells into skeletal muscle and may be involved in intercellular interactions within the tissue.