Problem: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a systemic autoimmune disorder that results in chronic inflammation of various tissues and organs.
VCAM-1 is an endothelial cell adhesion molecule which plays an important role in leukocyte migration from within blood vessel into tissue spaces. VCAM-1 is not expressed in significant levels by endothelial cells unless those cells are exposed to cytokine stimulation.
You are part of a case-control study examining measuring numerous molecules found in the blood of SLE patients and healthy controls. You predict that VCAM-1 levels will be higher in SLE patients than controls.
Why do you make this prediction? HINT: you do not need to know anything else about SLE or VCAM-1 than what is in this question; think about what you learned of immune responses in general.