CIRCULATING, SOLUBLE ADHESION PROTEINS IN CEREBROSPINAL-FLUID AND SERUM OF PATIENTS WITH MULTIPLE-SCLEROSIS - CORRELATION WITH CLINICAL ACTIVITY

Soluble adhesion protein intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), v ascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), and endothelial leukocyte a dhesion molecule (E-selectin) were measured in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis ( RRMS) in remission and in exacerbation, as well as patients with chron ic progressive MS, stable MS, and in patients with other neurological and inflammatory diseases (ONDs). Serum ICAM-1 and E-selectin were sig nificantly elevated in patients with MS over those with ONDs and contr ols. CSF VCAM-1 and E-selectin were found to be elevated over control and disease control samples. No increase in CSF ICAM-1 was observed. R esults were analyzed longitudinally and by MS category. In paired CSF and serum samples from patients in exacerbation, elevated VCAM-1 corre lated with increased serum VCAM-1 in 5 of 7 patients. Elevated CSF E-s electin did not correlate with elevations in serum E-selectin.