This invention provides compounds and methods for treating inflammation. The compounds modulate the core 2 oligosaccharide-mediated binding of inflammatory cells, such as neutrophils, to endothelial cells and other myeloid cells. Significantly, the of the invention methods block inflammation without affecting lymphocyte trafficking. In some embodiments, the compounds inhibit the activity of a core 2 GlcNAc transferase that is involved in synthesizing the core 2 oligosaccharides.