A mixed phage library containing random peptides from four to eight residues in length flanked by cysteine residues was screened using a recombinant soluble, form of human ICAM-1, which included residues 1-453, (ICAM-1(1-453)). Phage bound to immobilized ICAM-1(1-453) were eluted by three methods: (1) soluble ICAM-1(1-453), (2) neutralizing murine monoclonal antibody, (anti-ICAM-1, M174F5B7), (3) acidic conditions. After three rounds of binding and elution, a single, unique ICAM-1 binding phage bearing the peptide EWCEYLGGYLRCYA was isolated; the identical phage was selected with each method of elution. Attempts to isolate phage from non-constrained (i.e., not containing cysteines) libraries did not yield a phage that bound to ICAM-1. Phage displaying EWCEYLGGYLRCYA bound to immobilized ICAM-1(1-453) and to ICAM-1(1-185), a recombinant ICAM-1, which contains only the two amino-terminal immunoglobulin domains residing within residues 1-185. This is the region of the ICAM-1 that is bound by LFA-1. The phage did not bind to proteins other than ICAM-1. The phage bound to two ICAM-1 mutants, which contained amino acid substitutions that dramatically decreased or eliminated the binding to LFA-1. Studies were also performed with the corresponding synthetic peptide. The linear form of the synthetic EWCEYLGGYLRCYA peptide was found to inhibit LFA-1 binding to immobilized ICAM-1(1-453) in a protein-protein binding assay. By contrast, the disulfide, cyclized, form of the peptide was inactive. The EWCEYL portion of the sequence is homologous to the EWPEYL sequence found within rhinovirus coat protein 14, a nonintegrin protein that binds to ICAM-1. Taken together, the results suggests that the EWCEYLGGYLRCYA sequence is capable to binding to immobilized ICAM-1. Phage display appears to represent a new approach for the identification of peptides that interfere with ICAM-1 binding to beta 2 integrins.