The HECA-452 monoclonal antibody specifically reacts with Cutaneous Lymphocyte Associated Antigen (CLA), a carbohydrate domain shared by sialyl Lewis[x] (sLe[x]) and sialyl Lewis[a] (sLe[a]) antigens
It serves as a ligand for selectins including CD62E (E-selectin; ELAM-1)
CLA is expressed on high endothelium and on lymphocytes including most T lymphocytes infiltrating cutaneous sites of inflammation
Amongst peripheral blood cells, it is expressed on monocytes and granulocytes and a subset of lymphocytes
The HECA-452 antibody is also reportedly crossreactive with the mouse CLA carbohydrate epitope that is transiently expressed by PSGL-1/CD162 on activated T cells
A number of studies suggest that CLA plays an important role in supporting leucocyte adhesive interactions and migration into extravascular tissues during inflammation.