INCREASED MATERNAL PLASMA-LEVELS OF SOLUBLE ADHESION MOLECULES (ICAM-1, VCAM-I, E-SELECTIN) IN PREECLAMPSIA

The physiological significance of soluble adhesion molecules has not b een elucidated but it has been reported that a number of cytokines may increase the cleavage of soluble adhesion molecules. The fact that pr eeclampsia is associated with both increased cytokine concentrations a nd endothelial cell damage led us to analyse levels of soluble adhesio n molecules in preeclamptic women and to compare these levels to the d isease state. Since the cytokine network is altered by reproduction, t he present study also raised the question as to whether levels of solu ble adhesion molecules differ between pregnant and non-pregnant women, and whether variations occur with relation to gestational age or deli very. Levels of soluble adhesion molecules (intercellular adhesion mol ecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), E-select in) in 25 preeclamptic women were compared to those in healthy pregnan t women matched for age, parity and gestation, and the levels of solub le adhesion molecules of 40 healthy pregnant women at different gestat ional ages were determined and compared to those of 15 non-pregnant wo men. Concentrations were measured by ELISAs. Levels of ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and E-selectin concentrations were elevated in preeclamptic pregnancie s, whereas serum levels in normal pregnancy did not differ from those of non-pregnant women. No changes were observed in relation to gestati onal age or delivery. Copyright (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.