2023/08/09 by Aidan J Kelly, Aidan Kelly, Aideen Long
Immunology and Microbiology · Medicine · #Cell Adhesion Molecules Research #Immunotherapy and Immune Responses #T-cell and B-cell Immunology
paper · pdf · doi:10.1093/cei/uxad093
crossref issued 2023/08/09 · crossref published 2023/08/09 · crossref published-online 2023/08/09 · openalex publication_date 2023/08/09 · crossref created 2023/08/09 · crossref published-print 2024/01/09 · crossref deposited 2024/01/10 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/23 · crossref indexed 2026/07/29
The recruitment of T cells to tissues and their retention there are essential processes in the pathogenesis of many autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. The mechanisms regulating these processes have become better understood over the past three decades and are now recognized to involve temporally and spatially specific interactions between cell-adhesion molecules. These include integrins, which are heterodimeric molecules that mediate in-to-out and out-to-in signalling in T cells, other leukocytes, and most other cells of the body. Integrin signalling contributes to T-cell circulation through peripheral lymph nodes, immunological synapse stability and function, extravasation at the sites of inflammation, and T-cell retention at these sites. Greater understanding of the contribution of integrin signalling to the role of T cells in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases has focused much attention on the development of therapeutics that target T-cell integrins. This literature review describes the structure, activation, and function of integrins with respect to T cells, then discusses the use of integrin-targeting therapeutics in inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, and psoriasis. Efficacy and safety data from clinical trials and post-marketing surveillance are presented for currently approved therapeutics, therapeutics that have been withdrawn from the market, and novel therapeutics currently in clinical trials. This literature review will inform the reader of the current means of targeting T-cell integrins in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, as well as recent developments in the field.