ADHESION MOLECULES IN COMMON VARIABLE IMMUNODEFICIENCY (CVID) - A DECREASE IN L-SELECTIN-POSITIVE T-LYMPHOCYTES

CVID is immunologically characterized by defective antibody production . Various additional immunological abnormalities have been reported, b ut little is known of the role of adhesion molecules in CVID. In 31 CV ID patients serum levels of L-selectin (CD62L), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) (CD106) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (IC AM-1) (CD54) were significantly elevated compared with controls. In 15 CVID patients investigated, the number of L-selectin-positive cells w as significantly reduced in both CD4(+) and CD8(+) lymphocytes compare d with controls, and these changes were observed in both CD45RA(+) and CD45RO(+) subsets. In CD19+ lymphocytes the percentage of ICAM-1(+) c ells was significantly increased compared with controls. Fifty percent of the patients had splenomegaly. These patients demonstrated even hi gher serum levels of adhesion molecules, a lower percentage of L-selec tin-positive and a higher percentage of CD38(+) cells, in many T lymph ocyte subsets compared with both other CVID patients and controls. Fin ally, in this patient group the percentage of L-selectin-positive CD19 (+) lymphocytes was significantly reduced compared with both other pat ients and controls. These findings indicate a state of ongoing T lymph ocyte activation in CVID, especially in the subgroup of patients with splenomegaly, which may contribute to the impaired antimicrobial defen ce observed in these patients.