Rheumatoid Arthritis Support

The VCAM-1 protein mediates the adhesion of lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, and basophils to vascular endothelium. It also functions in leukocyte-endothelial cell signal transduction, and it may play a role in the development of atherosclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Upregulation of VCAM-1 in endothelial cells by cytokines occurs as a result of increased gene transcription (e.g., in response to Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and Interleukin-1 (IL-1)) and through stabilization of Messenger RNA (mRNA) (e.g., Interleukin-4 (IL-4)). The promoter region of the VCAM-1 gene contains functional tandem NF-κB (nuclear factor-kappa B) sites. The sustained expression of VCAM-1 lasts over 24 hours.

Primarily, the VCAM-1 protein is an endothelial ligand for VLA-4 (Very Late Antigen-4 or α4β1) of the β1 subfamily of integrins, and for integrin α4β7. VCAM-1 expression has also been observed in other cell types (e.g., smooth muscle cells). It has also been shown to interact with EZR and Moesin.


Adapted from the Wikipedia article VCAM-1, under the G. N. U. Free Documentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki