[Adhesion molecules as the strategic goal of immunotherapy]

Adhesion molecules are cell surface glycoproteins involved in cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions. They play a central role in leukocyte adhesion to endothelium, transmigration, binding to target cells and cytotoxicity. Many pathological processes underlie abnormal cell-cell interactions in the organism. The adhesion molecules are critical for the communication mechanism between cells in inflammatory and immunologic response. The control of cell-cell adhesive interactions, i.e. modulation of adhesion molecules, is an important strategy for anti-inflammatory therapy. (Ref. 65.)