CIRCULATING LEUKOCYTE ADHESION MOLECULES IN STABLE ASTHMA AND NONOBSTRUCTIVE CHRONIC-BRONCHITIS

Leukocyte adhesion molecules have been associated with airway inflamma tory diseases such as asthma and obstructive chronic bronchitis. Latel y, it has become possible to measure circulating forms of cell adhesio n molecules (cCAMs) in body fluids. Elevated serum levels have been fo und in acute asthma and in obstructive chronic bronchitis. We investig ated whether the patterns of cICAM-1, cVCAM-1, and cE-selectin could s erve as markers for airway inflammation in stable asthma and stable no nobstructive chronic bronchitis. Small-volume bronchial lavage (BL) an d serum from 15 controls, 13 asthmatics without steroid inhalation the rapy, 11 asthmatics with regular steroid inhalation therapy, and 10 sm okers with chronic bronchitis were analyzed. We found cICAM-1, cVCAM-1 , and cE-selectin to be present in serum from patients with stable ast hma and stable nonobstructive chronic bronchitis. Only cICAM-1 was fou nd in BL fluid. No differences were seen between the subject groups fo r either cCAM, but levels of ECP were increased in the non-steroid-tre ated asthmatic group. Subject atopy or smoking did not increase the cC AM levels. In conclusion, the degree of airway inflammation in stable nonobstructive chronic bronchitis and stable asthma does not appear to be well associated with circulating ICAM-1, cVCAM-1, and cE-selectin.