The significance of adhesion molecules in nephrology.
Our knowledge of adhesion molecules has exploded over the last 5 years and has swamped most fields of medicine including nephrology. This is not surprising because adhesion molecules play a pivotal role in all aspects of cell to cell contact. Thus, they are involved in important issues, such as fetal development, in any kind of inflammatory or immune response including allograft rejection, as well as thrombus formation, and in tumor growth and metastasis (1-3). This short overview briefly reports some aspects of the biology of relevant adhesion molecules and their significance in inflammatory kidney diseases and in hemodialysis and renal allograft rejection. Finally, new therapeutic opportunities that arise by blocking adhesion molecule function are discussed.
Burkhardt
K
K
Department of Nephrology, University of Munich, Germany.
Hillebrand
G
G
Bösnecker
A
A
Land
W
W
Gurland
H J
HJ
D019040:E-Selectin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D005921:Glomerulonephritis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000378:metabolism*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000209:etiology; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects; D015854:Up-Regulation; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood
D019040:E-Selectin; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1