CD62 AND ENDOTHELIAL-CELL LEUKOCYTE ADHESION MOLECULE-1 (ELAM-1) RECOGNIZE THE SAME CARBOHYDRATE LIGAND, SIALYL-LEWIS-X

The leukocyte receptor CD62, which is expressed on activated platelets and endothelial cells, is shown to mediate cell adhesion by binding a sialylated carbohydrate structure, sialyl-Lewis x, found on neutrophils, monocytes, and tumor cells. This structure has previously been identified as the ligand for another member of the LEC-CAM family of cell adhesion molecules, endothelial cell-leukocyte adhesion molecule 1, which also binds neutrophils and monocytes. The results demonstrate that although the two LEC-CAMs differ in their biological activities by their distribution and mode of expression, they are capable of mediating cell adhesion by recognition of the same carbohydrate ligand.