Soluble Intercellular Adhesion Molecule–1 in Sera of Children with Bronchial Asthma Exacerbation

Abstract

Previous studies have suggested that intercellular adhesion molecule–1 (ICAM–1; CD54) may be involved in the pathogenesis of asthma. In addition, a soluble form of intercellular adhesion molecule–1 (sICAM–1) has been detected in increased concentrations in the sera from adult patients with certain inflammatory, immune, or malignant diseases. To determine whether bronchial asthma exacerbation in children is associated with increased levels of serum sICAM–1 and to investigate the effect of the severity of exacerbation on these levels, the concentrations of sICAM–1 were measured in sera of 20 healthy control children and 45 asthmatic children (15 with mild, 15 with moderate, and 15 with severe asthma exacerbation) using an immunoenzymatic assay. Assessment of the severity of asthma exacerbation was based on clinical and physiological parameters. The mean (± SD) level of serum sICAM–1 for asthmatic children (390.0±108.3 ng/ml) was significantly higher than that for healthy (193.2±33.95 ng/ml; p = 0.000). We have also found a differential rise of serum sICAM–1 level which correlates well with the severity of asthma exacerbation. The elevated concentrations of serum sICAM–1 in acute bronchial asthma may reflect the extensive inflammatory response occurring in the airways during acute exacerbation of the disease with airway obstruction. The results of this study suggest that serum sICAM–1 is a promising serological marker of the severity of inflammation in bronchial asthma in children and it would not only facilitate staging of inflammation but also allow the monitoring of therapy and intervention.

Liposome‐entrapped D. pteronyssinus vaccination in mild asthma patients: effect of 1‐year double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial on inflammation, bronchial hyper‐responsiveness and immediate and late bronchial responses to the allergen

“…Intercellular adhesion molecule‐1 is essential for leucocyte recruitment into the inflammatory focus but the meaning of its detection in biological fluids is not clear. The increase in serum ICAM‐1 levels observed in the treated group at the end of the study might suggest an anti‐inflammatory role for this molecule by blocking the endothelial receptor for ICAM‐1 [34]. In our study, ICAM‐1 values were not modified by the Dpt‐BPT at either T0 or T12, which is in contrast to other authors [35].…”

Elevation of serum soluble E‐selectin and VCAM‐1 in severe asthma

“…23 It has been reported that increased soluble selectins could be a promising serological marker of the severity of inflammation in bronchial asthmatic children. 24 The present study suggests that elevated levels of these molecules may reflect the inflammatory process in asthmatic adults. Because attachment of circulating cells to endothelium is a key event in their recruitment to the inflammatory sites, the association of higher concentrations of soluble selectins with severe asthma suggests that E-selectin and VCAM-1 are involved in the inflammatory pathways of this kind of asthma.…”

Clinical and immunologic factors associated with the presence or absence of airways hyper‐responsiveness in childhood asthma

“…Similar concentrations of sICAM‐1 in atopic and non‐atopic children were found, indicating that sICAM‐1 is not associated with atopy. One previous study showed no difference in sICAM‐1 levels between healthy and asthmatic children (independent of atopy) [32], but other workers found elevated concentrations of sICAM‐1 in asthmatic children compared to non‐asthmatic controls, both when the disease was stable and during an exacerbation [33, 34]. It has been suggested that sICAM‐1 may block cell–cell interactions, hampering inflammatory responses [35].…”