Specifically, 63.16%, 73.68%, 89.47% of 19 cases of LAD tissue expressing high VAL showed high levels of AKT and STAT3 phosphorylation and Vimentin expression, respectively; in parallel, 73.33%, 73.33%, 66.67% of 15 cases of LAD tissue expressing low VAL showed low levels of AKT and STAT3 phosphorylation and Vimentin expression, respectively (Fig. 7f, g), further supporting the tight clinical relevance of the AKT-STAT3-VAL-Vimentin axis in LAD progression. This evidence concerns the gene AKT1 and leukocyte adhesion deficiency.