β1- and β2-integrins: central players in regulating vascular permeability and leukocyte recruitment during acute inflammation

The integrin family, an indispensable part of cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions, consists of a group of heterodimeric adhesion receptors formed by α- and β-integrin subunits. Their wide expression and unique bidirectional signaling pathways allow them to play roles in a variety of biological activities including blood clot formation, cell attachment, and migration. Evidence suggests that integrins are essential regulators of the initiation of acute inflammation, especially two key aspects of this process i.e., vascular permeability and leukocyte recruitment. This mini-review discusses the importance of integrins at the onset of the acute inflammatory response and outlines research advances regarding the function of integrins and their modulators at different stages of this process. Insights into the fine-tuning of integrin signaling during acute inflammation may inspire the design of new drugs for inflammatory diseases.