The profile of soluble adhesion molecules in patients with Behcet's disease: a possible association with disease activity

Abstract

Our objective was to evaluate the profile of circulating soluble adhesion molecules and whether changes in these molecule levels are related to disease activity in patients with Behcet's disease (BD). A sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure levels of soluble (s) intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1), sE-selectin, sL-selectin and sP-selectin in sera from 20 consecutive patients with active BD and in sera from 20 age and sex matched healthy controls. At the active stage, slCAM-1, sVCAM-1, and sE-selectin levels were significantly higher in active patients than in healthy controls (p < 0.01, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively). All active patients were treated with different therapeutic medications. When patients achieved clinical remission, sICAM-1, sVCAM-1 and sE-selectin levels were significantly decreased compared with those in active patients (p < 0.05, p < 0.01, p < 0.001, respectively). No statistically significant difference in slCAM-1, sVCAM-1 and sE-selectin values was found between inactive BD patients and healthy controls (p > 0.05). There were statistically positive correlations between sICAM-1, sVCAM-1 and sE-selectin levels and the parameters of disease activity, including ESR and CRP. In conclusion, increased levels of slCAM-1, sVCAM-1 and sE-selectin in active BD patients may suggest immune and endothelial stimulation and/or damage during disease activity. Also, these soluble markers may represent useful parameters to monitor disease activity.