Intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) and Intercellular adhesion molecule 2 (ICAM-2) (ICAM-1/ICAM-2)

Intercellular Adhesion Molecule 1 (ICAM-1) and Intercellular Adhesion Molecule 2 (ICAM-2) are cell surface glycoproteins belonging to the immunoglobulin superfamily that serve as the primary ligands for the integrin Lymphocyte Function-associated Antigen 1 (LFA-1), which is expressed on leukocytes such as donor Natural Killer (NK) cells [1, 2]. The interaction between LFA-1 on NK cells and ICAMs on patient cells is a critical step in the formation of the immunological synapse, providing the necessary adhesion and co-stimulatory signals for NK cell activation and targeted lysis of tumor or infected cells [3]. ICAM-1 is typically expressed at low levels but is highly inducible by inflammatory cytokines like TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma, whereas ICAM-2 is constitutively expressed on endothelial cells and some hematopoietic cells [1, 2, 5]. In the context of allogeneic NK cell therapy, the expression of these molecules on patient cells is a key determinant of the donor NK cells' ability to recognize and eliminate malignant cells [3]. Therapeutic agents like lifitegrast target this axis by blocking the LFA-1/ICAM-1 interaction to treat inflammatory conditions, while oncology research explores ways to enhance this engagement to improve the efficacy of adoptive cell therapies [4].

Other names

CD54CD102Major group rhinovirus receptorIntercellular adhesion molecule 1Intercellular adhesion molecule 2LFA-1 ligands

Antagonism of the LFA-1/ICAM-1 and LFA-1/ICAM-2 interaction to inhibit leukocyte adhesion, migration, and immunological synapse formation.