Binding of integrin alpha-4-beta-7 to mucosal addressin cell adhesion molecule-1 (MAdCAM-1)1 on intestinal endothelial cells is required for the homing of naive lymphocytes to Peyer's patches (Butcher & Picker 1996). Alpha 4 beta 7 integrin mediates lymphocyte binding to the mucosal vascular addressin MAdCAM-1 (Berli et al. 1993). (Arihiro et al. 2002) observed a differential expression of mucosal addressin cell adhesion molecule-1 (MAdCAM-1) in ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. (Feagan et al. 2005) showed that antibodies to integrin alpha-4-beta-7 induce remission of ulcerative colitis in humans.

heterotypic adhesive interactions between epithelial cells and Intraepithelial lymphocytes in vitro are mediated by E-cadherin and the alpha E beta 7 integrin (Cepek et al. 1994)