Vascular adhesion protein 1 mediates binding of T cells to human hepatic endothelium

Molecules that regulate T-cell adhesion to hepatic endothelium and thereby recirculation of T cells to the liver are poorly understood. Because the adhesion molecule vascular adhesion protein-1 (VAP-1), which mediates lymphocyte binding to lymph node endothelium, is expressed on hepatic endothelium, it could play a role in regulating T-cell recruitment to the liver. The aim of this study was to investigate the distribution of VAP-1 expression in human liver and the ability of VAP-1 to support T-cell binding to hepatic endothelium in vitro.