CIRCULATING ADHESION MOLECULES IN SERA OF
ASTHMATIC CHILDREN
Tang Renbin, Chen
Shujen, Chung Rueylung, Soong Wenjue
Dept. of Pediatrics,
Taipei Veterans General Hospital and National Yang-Ming University, Chinese
Taipei
Objective: In order to understand
the role of circulating concentrations of soluble form of intercellular
adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), vascular cell adhension molecule-1 (sVCAM-1)
and sE-selectin in serum are related to disease activity in acute asthma.
Methods: Circulating levels of
sICAM-1, sVCAM-1 and sE-selectin in sera from 15 normal control subjects
and in sera from 20 allergic asthmatic children with acute exacerbation and
in stable condition were determined by using commercially available
enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits.
Results: The mean concentration
of serum sICAM-1 levels was significantly higher in acute exacerbation
asthmatic children than in those in stable asthma (19.41 + 10.65
ng/ml vs 13.46 + 5.44 ng/ml; p< 0.001 or in control subjects
(9.83 + 2.02 ng/ml; p<0.001). For sVCAM-1 and sE-selectin, the
mean serum concentration of sVCAM-1 was slightly higher in children with
acute exacerbation asthma than stable asthma. However, the differences did
not reach statistical significance. The mean serum concentration of sVCAM-1
and sE-selectin in acute asthma or stable asthma was significantly higher
than in the controls.
Conclusion: This study provides
further evidence that a rise of sICAM-1, sVCAM-1 and sE-selectin in acute
asthma. These findings further confirm a role of leukocyte endothelial
adhesion in inflammatory airway disease.