Binding of gastrointestinal tumor cells to endothelial E- and P-selectin adhesion receptors leads to transient down-regulation of sLeX ligands in vitro.

Background and aims The prognostic relevance of sialyl Lewis X (sLeX) expression in colorectal and gastric cancer and its relevance to the hematogenous phase of tumor invasion is controversial. This study was designed to evaluate sLeX expression during tumor cell-endothelial cell interaction in vitro.