SERUM-SOLUBLE E-SELECTIN LEVELS DECREASE EARLY DURING EFFECTIVE THERAPY IN PSORIATIC PATIENTS

Soluble endothelial leukocyte adhesion molecule-1 (sELAM-1 or sE-selec tin) is the released isoform of the transmembrane E-selectin, a molecu le involved in the leukocyte rolling on the endothelial surfaces. Prev ious reports showed serum increases of different membrane molecule lev els in psoriatic patients and correlations between their serum values and the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) scores, without early significant serum decreases after effective therapy. Serum sE-selecti n values were also higher in patients with active psoriasis. Using a c ommercially available ELISA kit, the sera of 10 patients (6 females an d 4 males median age 42.5 years, range 24-52 median PASI of 15.2, rang e 5.5-28.8) were studied before and during therapy (local: calcipotrio l, 5 patients and systemic: cyclosporin-A, 5 patients) at two, four, a nd eight weeks. Considering all the times of observation (40 pairs), s erum sE-selectin values correlated highly with the PASI scores (R = 0. 56, p = 0.0001). Moreover the serum levels of this molecule decreased rapidly during therapy (p < 0.05 after 2 weeks) and dropped even more during the subsequent weeks of treatment, as the disease improved. The se findings are in keeping with an involvement of endothelial activati on in psoriasis and suggest a possible use of serum sE-selectin as a n on-specific marker of disease activity in psoriatic patients.