Selectin antagonists - Therapeutics for airway inflammation

The role of adhesion molecules in the maintenance of persistent inflammatio n in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is accepted, albeit i ncompletely understood. The selectin family of adhesion molecules mediates primary events in a complex cascade leading to the tissue localization and activation of inflammatory cells in many diseases. Blockade of selectins re presents a novel therapeutic approach to interrupt the inflammatory cycle b y inhibiting the extravasation of leukocytes at the earliest opportunity in the recruitment process.