Expression of selectin families and their ligand sialyl Lewis X in the muscles of inflammatory myopathies: An immunohistochemical study

Object Adhesion molecules are suggested to play important roles in the path ogenesis of inflammatory diseases. We examined the expression of adhesion m olecules in the muscles of human inflammatory myopathies, Methods We immuno histochemically studied the expression and distribution of two molecules in the selectin family (E- and P-selectin) and their common ligand sialyl Lew is X in 18 inflammatory myopathies, 13 disease controls, and 16 normal cont rols. Results In inflammatory myopathies, E- and P-selectin were upregulate d on the surface of blood vessels, especially on the endothelial cells of t he venules, Sialyl Lewis X was upregulated in the blood vessels, infiltrati ng leukocytes, and the surface of some atrophic myofibers, Some control mus cles also showed weakly positive staining with these molecules, however, ex pression of these molecules was most striking in the muscles of inflammator y myopathies, Conclusion The results suggested that these molecules are upr egulated in inflammatory myopathies and might play a role in the pathogenes is of inflammatory myopathies.