SERUM LEVELS OF INTERCELLULAR-ADHESION MOLECULE-1 IN PATIENTS WITH HIV-RELATED KAPOSIS-SARCOMA

Infection with the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in man is associated with an increase in the incidence of Kaposi's sarcoma (K S). The biological and clinical characteristics of these patients diff er from those of subjects with other HIV-associated diseases. Here we report that levels of serum-soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (sICAM 1) are increased in HIV-1-positive patients with KS, but not in patients belonging to other CDC classification groups. KS patients wi th elevated levels of serum sICAM I had a significant lowering of CD4 cell counts during the follow-up period compared with those KS subject s whose sICAM 1 levels were only moderately higher. We suggest that in creased sICAM 1 levels may have a pathogenetic role in the development of HIV-associated immunodeficiency in KS patients and may also be con sidered an important prognostic factor.