MCAM and autoimmune disease: Membrane CD146 and soluble CD146 can both function in cell-cell conjunction and vessel integrity, and are associated with cell signaling, migration, proliferation, differentiation, and angiogenesis (11, 12), as well as the pathogenesis of multiple illnesses including autoimmune diseases (13–15), tumors (16–19), acute heart failure (20–22), and ischemic disorders (23, 24).