October 2009 Newsletter

Arshad Rahman, Ph.D.

The Rahman laboratory is studying how pro-inflammatory mediators such as thrombin and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF) mediate neutrophils (PMN) sequestration and emigration in the lung and thus induce lung vascular injury. In particular, they are interested in defining the critical signaling pathways mediating expression of intercellular adhesion molecule (CAM-1; CD54), an inducible endothelial adhesive protein that serves as a counter-receptor for ²2-integrins (CD11/CD18) present on the surface of leukocytes. Interaction of ICAM-1 with ²2-integrins enables PMN to adhere firmly and stably to the vascular endothelium, and to migrate across the endothelial barrier. PMN binding to endothelial cells by this mechanism contributes to the development of lung vascular injury and tissue edema.