Levels of sICAM-1 sVCAM-1 and MCP-1 in patients with hyperlipoproteinemia IIa and -IIb

Objective: Hyperlipoproteinemia is one of the factors that are involved in the development of atherosclerosis. One of the mechanisms through which the se high plasma lipid levels trigger the formation of atherosclerotic lesion s is a change in the expression of adhesion molecules on endothelial and sm ooth muscle cells. The aim of this study was to evaluate the plasma levels or soluble intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), soluble vascular ce ll adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MC P-1) in patients with Type IIa (HLP-IIa) and fib (HLP-IIb) hyperlipoprotein emias. Subjects: Twenty patients with HLP-IIa, 20 patients with HLP-IIb and 23 control subjects were studied. To accurately evaluate adhesion molecule levels, we excluded those hyperlipemic patients and control subjects who h ad an inflammatory disease. Methods: Plasma sICAM-1, sVCAM-1 and MCP-1 leve ls were measured by the ELISA method. Results: sVCAM-1 levels in HLP-IIa an d HLP-IIb patients (535 +/- 27 ng/ml and 545 +/- 22 ng/ml, respectively) di d not differ significantly from those in the control group (558 20 ng/ml). sICAM-1 levels were significantly higher in patients with HLP-IIa and HLP-I Ib (279 +/- 10 ng/ml and 322 12 ng/ml, respectively) compared to the contro l group (226 +/- 10 ng/ml). MCP-1 levels were significantly higher in HLP-I Ia and HLP-IIb patients (151 +/- 12 pg/ml vs 154 +/- 12 pg/ml, respectively ) compared to healthy controls (98 +/- 4 pg/ml). sICAM-1 levels in the HLP- IIb group were significantly higher than in the HLP-IIa group. Conclusion: The results of the Study suggest that lipid abnormalities affect the levels of adhesion molecules and chemokines in plasma.