Cytokine stimulated vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) ectodomain release is regulated by TIMP-3.

Objectives: Vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) is a cell surface adhesion molecule involved in the recruitment of leukocytes to endothelial cells on arterial walls during the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. The soluble ectodomain of VCAM-1 (sVCAM-1) is proteolytically released from the cell surface into the circulation, a process which is up-regulated in patients with cardiovascular or inflammatory disease. Here we investigate mechanisms involved in sVCAM-1 generation in response to cytokine stimulation.