Intercellular adhesion molecule 1–Leukosialin cell–cell adhesion interface (ICAM-1–CD43 interface)

The Intercellular adhesion molecule 1–Leukosialin cell–cell adhesion interface is a critical protein-protein interaction between Intercellular Adhesion Molecule 1 (ICAM-1/CD54) and Leukosialin (CD43/Sialophorin). ICAM-1 is a transmembrane glycoprotein of the immunoglobulin superfamily expressed on endothelial cells and antigen-presenting cells, while CD43 is a major sialoglycoprotein found on the surface of most leukocytes (UniProt P05362, P16150). This interaction facilitates leukocyte recruitment and T-cell activation, as CD43 acts as a pro-adhesive ligand for ICAM-1 during the inflammatory response (PMID: 1711543). In oncology, the ICAM-1–CD43 interface is implicated in the metastatic cascade, where tumor cells utilize this binding to adhere to the vascular endothelium and extravasate into distant tissues (PMID: 24631445). Therapeutic strategies targeting this interface involve monoclonal antibodies, such as Enlimomab or SGN-43, which aim to disrupt the physical binding to treat inflammatory conditions or prevent cancer progression (PMID: 11434365, PMID: 17460055). However, pharmacological intervention must account for the multi-ligand nature of ICAM-1 to avoid broad immunosuppression. Monitoring of soluble ICAM-1 levels and CD43 surface expression serves as a potential biomarker strategy for assessing therapeutic efficacy.

Other names

ICAM-1–CD43 interactionCD54–CD43 interactionIntercellular adhesion molecule 1–Sialophorin interfaceICAM-1–Sialophorin interaction

Competitive inhibition of the ICAM-1 and CD43 binding domains to disrupt leukocyte-endothelial adhesion and T-cell costimulatory signaling.