LEVELS OF SOLUBLE INTERCELLULAR-ADHESION MOLECULE-1, SOLUBLE E-SELECTIN, TUMOR-NECROSIS-FACTOR-ALPHA, AND SOLUBLE TUMOR-NECROSIS-FACTOR RECEPTOR P55 AND P75 IN ATOPIC CHILDREN

During inflammation, membrane expression of adhesion molecules and tum or necrosis factor (TNF)-receptors (TNF-R) are increased, and soluble forms of these molecules are released. This study analyzed plasma leve ls of sICAM-1 and sE-selectin as well as TNF-alpha, sTNF-R55, and sTNF -R75 in nonallergic (NAA) and allergic asthma patients (AA), atopic de rmatitis patients (AD), and healthy children (HC) by ELISA. Plasma lev els of sICAM-1, sE-selectin, and sTNF-R, but not TNF-alpha, were detec table, bur were not significantly different between the patient groups and healthy children. In the AA group, a significant correlation (r(s )=0.78, P=0.008) was found between sICAM-1 and sE-selectin levels. Fur thermore, a significant correlation was found between sTNF-R55 and sTN F-R75 levels in the AA group (r(s)=0.70, P=0.025) and in the AD group (r(s)=0.69, P=0.027). In AD patients, a significant correlation was ob served between sE-selectin and the disease severity as measured by the SCORAD index (r(s)=0.73, P=0.038). Our data demonstrate that plasma l evels of sICAM-1, sE-selectin, TNF-alpha, sTNF-R55. and sTNF-R75 were not different between atopic and nonatopic children during a stable ph ase of the disease. In AD patients, levels of sE-selectin seemed to be related to clinical severity of the disease.