CD11b/CD18 and Neutrophil-Epithelial Interactions as Targets for Anti-Inflammatory Therapies

The beta-2 integrins, a family of four cell surface transmembrane glycoproteins expressed only on leukocytes, include CD11a/CD18, CD11b/CD18, CD11c/CD18, and CD11d/CD18. They consist of a common beta subunit (CD18) and homologous alpha subunits (CD11a-d) that bind noncovalently to form an alpha/beta heterodimer. Studies with functionally inhibitory monoclonal antibodies to CD11b/CD18 demonstrate the role of CD11b/CD18 in inflammatory processes, including polymorpho nuclear leukocyte (PMN) adhesion and migration across the endo and epithelium (1).

Moreover, PMN of patients with leukocyte adhesion deficiency, characterized by lack of surface expression of beta-2 integrins, fail to adhere to and migrate across both endothelium and epithelium (2). PMN migrate across intestinal epithelia in many disease states. Although such migration serves as a histological index of disease activity, little is known concerning the molecular events underlying PMN-intestinal epithelial interactions PMN-epithelial interactions were found to be unaffected by monoclonal antibodies recognizing either of the remaining two alpha subunits CD11a or CD11c. It is important to note that CD11b/CD18, plays an important role in the PMN migration in a variety of intestinal diseases (3). These findings add a new element to a multistep model of PMN trans-epithelial migration and may provide new targets for anti-inflammatory therapies.

1. PMID: 1682344
2. PMID: 1973407
3. PMID: 15800062

Novus Biologicals offers CD11b/CD18 reagents for your research needs including:

• CD11b/CD18 primary antibodies
• CD11b/CD18 peptides and proteins
• CD11b/CD18 RNAi