Selectins – potential pharmacological targets?

Recent advances in our (patho)physiological understanding have underpinned the frequent involvement of the protein family of selectins in the progression of serious illnesses, including cancer and cancer metastasis, and immunological diseases, such as asthma, allergy and autoimmune reactions. Moreover, selectins seem to have a role in post-ischemic damage and during transplant failures (e.g. in graft-versus-host disease). Although the interplay between selectins and their counter-receptors and ligands is not always primarily involved in the development of these pathological conditions, selectins have been investigated as potential therapeutic targets for therapeutic intervention. This review focuses on the latest trends and developments in anti-selectin antibodies, anti-selectin receptor antibodies, recombinant selectin counter-receptors, low molecular weight selectin antagonists (glycomimetics), induction of selectin tolerance and selectin-targeted imaging agents.