title: T-lymphocyte-epithelial-cell interactions: integrin alpha(E)(CD103)beta(7), LEEP-CAM and chemokines.
abstract: The epithelia are the avascular layers of cells that cover the environment-exposed surfaces of the body. It appears that T cells localize to selected sites in or adjacent to epithelia via the selective expression of adhesion molecules and chemokine receptors on T cells. These bind to counter-receptors and to chemokines expressed by epithelial cells. Recently, there has been an advance in our understanding of the interaction of the alpha(Ebeta7) integrin with its epithelial cell ligand, E-cadherin. In addition, a new adhesion molecule has been identified on non-intestinal epithelial cells, termed lymphocyte-endothelial-epithelial-cell adhesion molecule (LEEP-CAM). Finally, there have been advances in our understanding of the role of skin- or gut-epithelia-derived chemokines in regulating activated T cell homing to these sites.
authors.affiliation: Immunology Section, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Lund University, Sweden.
authors.forename: W W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Agace
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Higgins
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sadasivan
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Brenner
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Parker
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism; D002450:Cell Communication; D018925:Chemokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D016023:Integrins / Q000378:metabolism; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D018925:Chemokines; D016023:Integrins; C120427:LEEP-CAM protein, human; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; C070709:integrin alphaEbeta7