Abstract:

The aim of this chapter is to present and identify potential pharmacological targets in endothelial cell-monocyte interactions leading to vascular syndrome and involving inflammation, coagulation, vascular remodelling and thrombosis. Increasing evidence is indicating that endothelial cells play a key role in atherothombosis by their capacity to attract, bind and allow the extravasation of monocytes to sites of inflammation. Surface expression and/or activation of constituent cell adhesion molecules (for e.g. P-selectin, E-selectin, ICAM-1, and VCAM-1) on endothelial cells together with chemokines such as CXCL8 (IL-8), Platelet-activating factor (PAF), CCL2 and CCL5 (Table 1) allow the rolling, adhesion and extravasation of monocytes. This review focuses on pharmacological targets implicated in endothelial cells interactions with monocytes/macrophages in vascular disease states and on cutting edge genomic tools for the identification and characterization of such targets.

Keywords: Inflammation; endothelial cells; monocytes/macrophages; cell adhesion molecules; chemokines; polymorphisms; genomic tools

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.2174/138161207780831248

Affiliations: 1: Thrombosis Research Institute,Genomics & Atherothrombosis Laboratory, Manresa Road, London SW3 6LR, London, UK.