Thevascularcelladhesionmolecule-1(VCAM-1)isamemberoftheimmunoglobulingenesuperfamily.Uponcompleteglycosylationthematureproteinhasamolecularweightofapproximately102kDa.IncontrasttoICAM-1,VCAM-1appearstohavebeenhighlyconservedthroughevolution.BothratandmouseVCAM-1arehighlyhomologousattheproteinleveltothehumanVCAM-1(77%and76%,respectively).VCAM-1supportstheadhesionoflymphocytes,monocytes,naturalkillercells,eosinophils,andbasophilsthroughitsinteractionwithleukocyteverylateantigen-4(VLA-4).VCAM-1/VLA-4interactionmediatesfirmadherenceofcirculatingnon-neutrophilicleukocytestoendothelium.VCAM-1alsoparticipatesinleukocyteadhesionoutsideofthevasculature,mediatingprecursorlymphocyteadhesiontobonemarrowstromalcellsandBcellbindingtolymphnodefolliculardendriticcells.VCAM-1isnotconstitutivelyexpressedonendothelium,butcanbeupregulatedinvitroinresponsetoLPS,TNF-a,andIL-1,aswellastointerferon-gandIL-4.VCAM-1isalsopresentontissuemacrophages,dendriticcells,bonemarrowfibroblasts,myoblastsandmyotubes.AsolubleformofVCAM-1(sVCAM-1)hasbeendescribed.SolubleVCAM-1levelshavebeenfoundintheserumofhealthyindividualsandincreasedlevelsofsVCAM-1canbedetectedinseveraldiseases:

Cancer:ovarian,gastric-intestinal,renal,bladdercancer,non-Hodgkin"slymphoma,breastcancer(cystfluid);

Autoimmunediseases:multiplesclerosis(cerebrospinalfluid),systemicsclerosis,systemiclupuserythematosus,rheumatoidarthritis;

Infections:sepsis,meningitis,malaria;

Inflammation:vasculitis,alcoholiccirrhosis,primarybiliarycirrhosis,Wegener"sgranulomatosis;

Others:impairedrenalfunction,haemodialysis,hyperthyroidism,renalallograft.

Synonyms:CD106