Rat Anti-Mouse CD106/VCAM-1-LE/AF

CD106, also known as VCAM-1, is an adhesion molecule and a major mediator of the inflammatory response. It is expressed on activated microvascular endothelial cells in response to signals arising from immune responses in infection, graft rejection, tumor recognition and killing. The complementary binding ligand for VCAM-1 is VLA-4/CD49d. In addition to VCAM-1, VLA-4 also recognizes the extracellular matrix molecule fibronectin. This pairing of VCAM-1 and VLA-4 is able to provide a second signal (e.g., non-antigen specific) for T cell stimulation, such as that seen in transplantation. The monoclonal antibody MK-2 has been used in transplant studies to suppress cardiac rejection and induce long-term cardiac graft survival. In addition to inflammatory responses, VCAM-1 has a significant role in hemopoiesis through its ability to retain lymphocyte and myeloid precursors on stromal cells in the marrow and lymphoid organs. CD106/VCAM-1 exists as an integral membrane protein. The M/K-2 monoclonal antibody immunoprecipitates a peptide that gives a single band on SDS-PAGE gels with an apparent Mr of ~100 kDa under reducing conditions and 92 kDa under non-reducing conditions.