Effect of disodium cromoglycate treatment on peripheral blood mononuclear cell adhesion to cultured endothelium in allergic asthmatics

In this study we have compared the adhesion of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) in a health y control group with two groups of allergic asthmatics, not treated or trea ted with disodium cromoglycate (DSCG). The adhesion and blocking experiment s were performed by the now cytometric adhesion assay. No differences in th e adhesion of lymphocytes were observed in any of the groups. The monocytes obtained from DSCG non-treated patients have shown significant (P < 0.05) enhancement of adhesion to HUVEC in comparison to healthy controls. The tre atment of asthmatic patients with DSCG downregulated the monocyte adhesion to cultured endothelial cells (ECs) and this was comparable to the group of normal donors. The DSCG may have a therapeutic effect on the regulation of monocyte adhesion in inflammatory and allergic diseases. The binding abili ty of untreated asthmatic PBMC to cultured ECs was partially inhibited by m onoclonal antibody anti-CD54, suggesting that the increased EC adhesiveness for monocytes from allergic asthmatics may be at least partially dependent on the ICAM-1 adhesion pathways. Our results also indicate that the blocki ng agent anti-CD18 was not essential for monocyte-endothelial interactions in allergic asthma.