Open AccessCirculating adhesion molecules in sarcoidosis
Author(s) -
HAMBLIN A. S.,
SHAKOOR Z.,
KAPAHI P.,
HASKARD D.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
clinical & experimental immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.329
H-Index - 135
eISSN - 1365-2249
pISSN - 0009-9104
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2249.1994.tb06563.x
Subject(s) - cell adhesion molecule , sarcoidosis , cd18 , immunology , vcam 1 , soluble cell adhesion molecules , selectin , icam 1 , intercellular adhesion molecule 1 , e selectin , pathology , cell adhesion , integrin , medicine , biology , integrin alpha m , cell , immune system , biochemistry , receptor
SUMMARY Sarcoidosis is a disease of unknown etiology characterized by non‐caseating granulomata together with a number of systemic abnormalities. We have recently shown these include increased expression of the integrins CD11/CD18 on peripheral blood leucocytes. Here we have measured serum levels of the adhesion molecules intercellular adhesion molecule‐1 (ICAM‐1), E‐selectin and vascular cell adhesion molecule‐1 (VCAM‐1) in 23 patients and 14 normal controls using antigen capture sandwich ELISAs. Median circulating E‐selectin levels in the patients were nearly three times those of the controls ( P <0·0001, Mann‐Whitney U ‐test), whilst ICAM‐I but not VCAM‐1 levels were only slightly elevated. These results show that endothelial cell activation and shedding of E‐selectin into the circulation are additional features of the pathology of sarcoidosis.