[Adhesion molecules. Their role in cardiovascular physiopathology]. / Moléculas de adhesión. Su papel en la fisiopatología cardiovascular.

Adhesion molecules are membrane receptors that mediate several functions related to cell traffic, cell-cell interactions, and cell-matrix contact. There are three important groups associated to cardiovascular disease: integrins, selectins, and the immunoglobulin superfamily. They are involved in the endothelial disfunction and activation processes, and are related to the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease, reperfusion injury, allograft vasculopathy, myocarditis, hypertrophic myocardiopathy, etc. Also, they are related to the mechanism of action of statins. Serologic titer of these molecules has diagnostic and predictive value on diverse cardiovascular diseases. This review focuses on the functions of adhesins and discusses various therapeutic possibilities based on their recognition.