INTERCELLULAR-ADHESION MOLECULE-1 (ICAM-1) IN THE SERA OF PATIENTS WITH GRAVES-DISEASE - CORRELATION WITH DISEASE-ACTIVITY AND TREATMENT STATUS

Intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM-1), a ligand for lymphocyte func tion-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1), plays an important role in a variet y of immune-mediated mechanisms such as lymphocyte attachment to cultu red Graves' thyroid cells, We report the detection of a soluble form o f the ICAM-1 molecule (sICAM-1) in sera from patients with Graves' dis ease (GD) and other thyroid disorders, The mean (+/- SD) sICAM-1 conce ntration in 28 euthyroid control subjects was 1931 +/- 681 pmol/L. The mean sICAM-1 concentration in 25 untreated hyperthyroid patients with GD was significantly elevated (3065 +/- 890 pmol/L), and decreased si gnificantly (2489 +/- 845 pmol/L) after treatment with antithyroid dru gs and/or (131)L. Of 14 GD patients who had been in remission followin g administration of antithyroid drugs, 12 had recurrent disease, In 10 of the 12 patients in whom GD recurred, the sICAM-1 concentration (38 07 +/- 796 pmol/L) increased significantly. The mean sICAM-1 concentra tion in patients with hypothyroidism due to chronic thyroiditis (n = 1 5: 2895 +/- 569 pmol/L) was significantly elevated over that of contro l subjects, and not different from untreated hyperthyroid patients. Th e mean sICAM-1 concentration in patients with subacute thyroiditis (n = 13: 3036 +/- 441 pmol/L,) was significantly elevated, while the mean sICAM-1 concentration in patients with nodular goiter (n = 10: 2318 /- 490 pmol/L) was within the normal range, These results indicate tha t mean serum sICAM-1 concentration was significantly elevated in patie nts with untreated GD, and it decreased after treatment and increased at the time of recurrence, Therefore, the elevated serum concentration of sICAM-1 in patients with GD probably reflects ongoing immune proce sses.