Specificity of leukocyte trafficking to intestinal mucosal tissues is largely mediated by MAdCAM-1/alpha(4) beta(7) interaction. A series of small peptides was prepared to establish L-D-T-S-L as a recognition motif involved in the alpha(4) beta(7) interaction. N-Terminus acylation of the L-D-T-S-L motif has led to low micromolar inhibitors of leukocyte adhesion. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd