E-Selectin (Endothelial Leukocyte Adhesion Molecule-1, ELAM-1, CD62E), a member of the Selectin family, is a 107 - 115 kDa cell surface glycoprotein. It is transiently expressed on vascular endothelial cells in response to IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha, and demonstrates peak expression at 4 hours, and decay at 24 hours, in response to activation. E‑Selectin ligands, expressed on neutrophils, monocytes, and a subset of memory T-cells, are sialylated, fucosylated molecules which bind to the lectin domain of E-Selectin. Immunocytochemical techniques have demonstrated the expression of E-Selectin on healthy and diseased tissue. E-Selectin mediates the attachment of flowing leukocytes to the blood vessel wall during inflammation by binding to E‑Selectin ligands on leukocytes. These interactions are labile and permit leukocytes to roll along the vascular endothelium in the direction of blood flow. This initial interaction is followed by a stronger interaction involving ICAM-1 and
VCAM-1 that leads eventually to extravasation of the white blood cell through the blood vessel wall into the extracellular matrix tissue. ELISA techniques have shown that detectable levels of soluble E-Selectin are present in the biological fluids of apparently normal individuals. Furthermore, a number of studies have reported that levels of E-Selectin may be elevated in subjects with a variety of pathological conditions.
