Vedolizumab (anti-integrin) is effective for treatment of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease

The integrin superfamily consists of 30 proteins that promote cell-cell or cell-matrix interactions. The name integrins derives from the idea that they coordinate (i.e., "integrate") signals. All integrins are cell surface proteins composed of 2 polypeptide chains, α and β. Integrins are classified into several subfamilies based on the β chains. Lymphocyte Trafficking. This video describes how lymphocytes travel through the blood stream and into a lymph node. This video is from: Janeway's Immunobiology, 7th Edition, Murphy, Travers, & Walport. Source: Garland Science. 7 Integrin, a cell adhesion molecule, is present in the form of α4β7 integrin or αEβ7 integrin. α4β7 Integrin is expressed on most leucocytes and is essential for their migration to gut-associated lymphoid tissues by interacting with its primary ligand, mucosal addressin cell adhesion molecule-1, which is preferentially expressed in gut-associated lymphoid tissues. Vedolizumab is a monoclonal antibody being developed by a subsidiary of Takeda Pharmaceuticals for the treatment of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. It binds to integrin α4β7 (LPAM-1, lymphocyte Peyer's patch adhesion molecule 1). Blocking the α4β7 integrin results in gut-selective anti-inflammatory activity by blockade of lymphocyte trafficking. Sunanda Kane, M.D., a gastroenterologist at Mayo Clinic specializing in the care and evaluation of patients with IBD, discusses two articles recently published in NEJM that fo...
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