The antiatherogenic effect of estrogen is mediated, in part, by inhibitory effects on endothelial vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) expression. To determine the mechanism by which estrogen regulates VCAM-1 expression, we compared the effect of 17beta-estradiol (E(2)) and of the glucocorticoid dexamethasone (Dex) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced VCAM-1 expression in human endothelial...

Increased circulating adhesion molecules in patients with obesity play an important role in the development of endothelial dysfunction/atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to assess the contribution of various fat depots to the production of adhesion molecules in obesity. 12 women with first and second degree of obesity, 13 women with third degree of obesity and 14 lean age-matched women ...

Endothelin-1 (ET-1) stimulates vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM-1) expression, a process associated with arterial remodelling. However, the pathways activated by ET-1 that lead to VCAM-1 expression are not fully understood. It is reported that sphingomyelinases are necessary for VCAM-1 expression in response to cytokines. Our aim was to investigate the role of sphingomyelinases in ET-1-ind...

Cell adhesion to endothelial cells stimulated by tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) is due to induction of surface receptors, such as vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1). The antioxidant pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) specifically inhibits activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B). Since kappa B motifs are present in VCAM-1 and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) promot...

Erythroblastic islands are anatomical units consisting of a central macrophage surrounded by erythroblasts. We studied the adhesion molecules involved in the formation of these structures. Central macrophages of erythroblastic islands isolated from the spleens of phlebotomized mice were clearly stained for vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1). The surrounding erythroblasts of the erythrob...

Neovascularization depends on vascular cell proliferation and on the stabilization of vessels by association of vascular smooth muscle–like pericytes with ECs. Here we show that integrin α4β1 (VLA-4) and VCAM-1 promote close intercellular adhesion between ECs and pericytes and that this interaction is required for blood vessel formation. Integrin α4β1 is expressed by proliferating but not quies...

Novel biomarkers for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease have been evaluated worldwide, but few appeared to improve risk prediction beyond classical risk factors, such as high blood pressures, dyslipidemias, and hyperglycemias. Soluble cell adhesion molecules have been considered early systemic inflammation and endothelial cell activation markers and risk marker for consequent developm...

We examined the mechanisms used by eosinophils to tether and accumulate on interleukin-4 (IL-4)-stimulated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) under flow conditions. As previously reported, HUVECs treated for 24 hours with 20 ng/mL IL-4 had increased expression of P-selectin and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) but not E-selectin. We found that eosinophils tethered and rol...

To explore the structural basis for the essential role of calmodulin (CaM) in Aspergillus nidulans, we have compared the biochemical and in vivo properties of A. nidulans CaM (AnCaM) with those of heterologous CaMs. Neither Saccharomyces cerevisiae CaM (ScCaM) nor a Ca2+ binding mutant of A. nidulans CaM (1234) interacts appreciably with A. nidulans CaM binding proteins by an overlay assay or a...