Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 is a cell surface receptor for hyaluronan.

Our laboratory has previously characterized and purified the hyaluronan receptor by hyaluronan affinity chromatography of rat liver endothelial cells. We have now isolated the receptor from whole rat liver and have obtained sufficient quantities for amino acid sequence analysis. Four peptides of various lengths were obtained from affinity-purified receptor and found to have identity with rat intercellular adhesion molecule-1. This glycoprotein is normally expressed in low amounts on the endothelial cells, but is up-regulated in inflamed and malignant tissues, and mediates cell-cell adhesion as a ligand for lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 and the macrophage-associated Mac-1. The affinity of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 for hyaluronan is likely to have important implications for cell adhesion in normal and in disease states such as inflammation, atherosclerosis, and cancer.