The infection and subsequent damage of cardiac cells (especially the vascular endothelium and cardiomyocytes) leads to an increased expression of chemokines and cytokines, subsequently leading to an increased expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1), as well as other adhesion molecules, such as intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) and E-selectin, in the cardiac vascular endothelium [49]. Here, VCAM1 is linked to infection.