The up-regulation of different adhesion molecules such as VLA-4 (CD49d/CD29) and ICAM-1 (CD54) on the pulmonary endothelium and leukocytes, is a key event in sepsis-induced lung injury leading to inflammatory tissue alterations. The value of VLA-4 and ICAM-1 as micromorphological post-mortem markers for the detection of sepsis-induced lung injury, was evaluated in a semiquantitative immunohistochemical study. VLA-4 was strongly expressed on intravascular, interstitial and intra-alveolar leukocytes in sepsis-associated fatalities, whereas in non-septic fatalities an irregular weak immunoreactivity was observed on interstitial leukocytes and no positive immunohistochemical expression was detected on intravascular or intra-alveolar leukocytes. ICAM-1 was strongly expressed on endothelial cells of the pulmonary microvasculature and on pulmonary macrophages and lymphocytes in sepsis-associated fatalities. In contrast, an infrequent weak immunohistochemical reaction for ICAM-1 was found on pulmonary endothelium and on perivascular leukocytes in non-septic fatalities. Based on the results of the present preliminary study, VLA-4 and ICAM-1 can be considered as useful immunohistochemical post-mortem markers of sepsis.