Kindlin-3 is required for β2 integrin-mediated leukocyte adhesion to endothelial cells

Kindlin-3 interacts with β1 and β3 integrins on platelets, and Kindlin-3–deficient mice have defects in platelet activation and blood clotting. Moser et al. now show that these mice also have defects in β2 integrin activation on leukocytes, leading to severely compromised leukocyte adhesion to the endothelium. The combined platelet and leukocyte defects of these mice resemble those seen in individuals with the leukocyte adhesion deficiency syndrome LAD-III. Other papers in this issue by Malinin et al. and Svensson et al. provide evidence that KINDLIN-3 dysfunction does indeed underlie this type of human disease syndrome (pages 249–250, 306–312 and 313–318).