Selectins in T-cell recruitment to non-lymphoid tissues and sites of inflammation

The ability to home to extralymphoid tissues, such as the skin, lungs and gut, is acquired by many effector and memory T cells after initial antigen encounter. This review discusses the role of E-, P- and L-selectin and their glycoprotein ligands in this process. During activation, some T cells differentiate to bind E-selectin through induced expression of fucosyltransferase-VII and to bind P- and L-selectin through additional expression of core 2 glucosaminyltransferase-I. This inducible expression of selectin ligands, together with the regulation of L-selectin expression, has a role in the recruitment of activated T cells to extralymphoid tissues and sites of inflammation.