Endothelial-leukocyte adhesion molecules in inflammation and metastasis.

Vascular endothelium is an active tissue. In response to various mediators, it expresses specific cell surface glycoproteins that support the binding and extravasation of blood leukocytes. These events are essential for host defense against pathogens and for repair of tissue damage. Unfortunately, it appears that a number of blood borne tumor cells may be able to use the same adhesive structures to facilitate their metastasis. The development of agents designed to block the adhesion of leukocytes (or tumor cells) to the vessel wall may prove valuable in the treatment of a variety of human disease processes, including adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), ischemic reperfusion injury, autoimmunity, and metastatic spread of cancer.