Soluble vascular cell-adhesion molecule-1 and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 correlate with lipid and apolipoprotein risk factors for coronary artery disease in children

Atherosclerosis begins in childhood and progresses from fatty streaks to ra ised lesions in adolescence and young adulthood. This process is accelerate d in children with risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD). Cell adh esion molecules (CAMs) are supposed to play important roles in the initial development of atherosclerosis, which may suggest that the expression of CA Ms is increased in children more than in older subjects or in CAD patients. To determine whether risk factors for CAD are associated with an increased expression of CAMs, we investigated the relationships of the serum levels of soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), soluble intercellula r adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and soluble P-selectin (P-selectin) with lip id and apolipoprotein parameters in children (40 boys and 45 girls). We als o examined the relationships between soluble CAMs and the fractional esteri fication rate of cholesterol in HDL (FERHDL), particle size of LDL and lipo protein containing apoA-I, but no apoA-II (LpA-I). In children, soluble VCA M-1 levels were correlated with the levels of triglyceride (in boys) and ap oB, the ratio of apoB to apoA-I and FERHDL (in girls). Similar associations were found for soluble ICAM-1. Furthermore, the soluble ICAM-1, level was inversely correlated with LpA-I level, LDL size (in boys) and HDL cholester ol level (in girls). Soluble P-selectin levels were not correlated with the se parameters. Conclusion Our data indicate that intervention normalize risk factors for c oronary artery disease should be started at a young age to prevent increase d expression of cell adhesion molecules.