Sequential interactions between several adhesion molecules and their ligands regulate lymphocyte circulation and leukocyte recruitment to inflammatory foci. Adhesion molecules are, therefore, central and critical components of the immune and inflammatory system. We review the evidence that tobacco smoking dysregulates specific components of the adhesion cascade, which may be a common factor in ...

BACKGROUND Tissue damage after ischemia and reperfusion involves leukocyte endothelial interactions mediated by cell adhesion molecules. This study was designed to determine the time course of soluble adhesion molecules in patients with acute myocardial infarction after attempted reperfusion by thrombolysis with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) or streptokinase (SK), or percutaneous translumi...

Leukocyte adhesion and trafficking at the endothelium requires both cellular adhesion molecules and chemotactic factors. A newly identified CX3C chemokine, fractalkine, expressed on activated endothelial cells, plays an important role in leukocyte adhesion and migration. We examined the functional effects of fractalkine on beta1 and beta2 integrin-mediated adhesion using a macrophage-like cell ...

Sepsis diagnosis remains based largely on clinical presentation despite significant advances in the understanding of underlying pathophysiology and host-pathogen interactions. The systematic review article by Zonneveld and colleagues in the previous issue of Critical Care describes another potential avenue of study for using biomarkers for sepsis diagnosis and prognostication. Soluble leukocyte...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Activation of endothelial cells is a consequence of cerebral ischemia and leads to the expression of adhesion molecules such as intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1), and E-selectin, which can be released into the blood. This study aimed to define the kinetics of soluble adhesion molecule serum levels after cerebral ischemi...

BACKGROUND Monocytes have been suggested to play a role in antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-positive vasculitis, but their state of activation in vivo in patients is still unknown. METHODS Twelve consecutive patients with acute anti-proteinase 3 (PR3)-positive vasculitis were included prospectively, and blood samples were drawn at diagnosis. As controls, peripheral blood was obtaine...